126 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons currently in receipt of a disabled person's maintenance allowance from regional health boards are unable to avail of the same opportunities open to persons in receipt of unemployment assistance who wish to attend college in Northern Ireland and study for a third level qualification; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that those candidates in receipt of unemployment assistance who wish to study in Northern Ireland may have their social welfare payments paid into a nominated bank account in the Republic of Ireland while a candidate in receipt of a disabled person's maintenance allowance who wishes to study in Northern Ireland is obliged to reside in the county in the Republic from which the disabled person's maintenance allowance payment is issued; if he will enter into discussions with the health boards in order to have this anomaly removed. [16105/96]

Limerick East): Under the current disabled person's maintenance allowance regulations health boards can pay a maintenance allowance to any eligible person who is ordinarily resident in the functional area of the board. A disabled person's maintenance allowance recipient who commences third level education will continue to receive disabled person's maintenance allowance if they are medically and financially eligible to do so. If a specific course is recommended for an individual by the NRB and is not available in the State special payment arrangements may be made.