SNP government spends £120,000 sending Scots students to Irish universities amid row over places at home

More than £120,000 has been spent by the SNP government sending Scottish students to Irish universities amid concerns about them being crowded out of places at home. Dozens of Scots have had help with paying tuition fees at the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin and other institutions. A total of 144,008 euros – just over £120,000 – has been spent since 2020-21 on contributions towards fees for Scottish-domiciled students at Irish universities. Tim Eagle, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said: ‘Taxpayers will be baffled to learn that the SNP government has spent staggering sums to send students to Ireland rather than providing more places in Scottish universities.’ Mr Eagle obtained the figures from the Scottish Government in response to a written parliamentary question. In his response to Mr Eagle, Tertiary Education Minister Alyn Smith said: ‘Student Awards Agency Scotland covers the student contribution fee on behalf of eligible Scottish-domiciled students undertaking an approved first-degree course at specified higher education institutions in the Republic of Ireland .’ Dozens of Scots have had help with paying tuition fees at the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin There are concerns that Scots are missing out on getting the same chances as other students Several Scottish universities announced before the Clearing process this year that they have no places or a severely limited number of places for Scots students but were still advertising for fee-paying students in other parts of the UK and abroad . It led to concerns that Scots are missing out on getting the same chances as other students because of the SNP’s approach to tuition fees and university funding . A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘A small number of students funded by the agency have had the chance to study in Ireland through the Irish Government’s Free Fees Initiative. Any claim that this has an impact on the number of places at Scottish universities is false.’