asked the Minister for Education why student nurses do not receive grants from his Department to cover training fees to hospitals.

As persons in receipt of remuneration, student nurses are not eligible for consideration for grants under the higher education grants scheme.

Why?

Because they are persons in receipt of remuneration.

Would the Minister not agree that this can be inequitable to the student nurses concerned?

If we adopt the principle that where people are being remunerated we do not give grants it is not inequitable.

Surely the Minister must acknowledge that parents of young student nurses make a contribution to the hospital so that their children can be trained as nurses?

Not always.

Does the Minister say that the amount of money a student nurse is receiving is remuneration?

I am not aware of how much they receive. How much do they receive?

Would the Minister put it on record that the amount of money a student nurse receives for the amount of work she does is remuneration?

Will the Deputy tell me how much a student nurse receives? If he does not know it what is he blathering about?

If the Minister who is ten years in public life is not aware of the small amount of money a student nurse receives he is not fit to be a Minister for Education.

The Deputy is bluffing. How much money do they get?

This is an embarrassing situation for the Minister. He is afraid to acknowledge that the amount of money they receive is small.

I do not know that and it is not my duty to know it.

The Minister should know it.

I should not. The Deputy should put down a question to the Minister for Health about that matter.

To answer the question properly the Minister should have found out this information.

The Deputy did not answer my question because he does not know the information.

The Minister is not interested.

It is not my job to answer questions in the House.

After 16 years in the House Deputy Allen has spoken. He now wants to make his maiden speech.

The Deputy must cease being disorderly.

I am surprised that Deputy Allen who has been 16 years in this House now wishes to speak and you are interrupting me.

I do not wish to come between Donegal men; that is dangerous.