DUP MP Sammy Wilson welcomes Irish Government £1.7m for Erasmus in Northern Ireland - but questions motives behind donation

After Brexit, the UK turned down an offer to continue participating in the scheme and set up its own alternative Turing programme. While most UK students now only have access to the Turing scheme, students in NI can also access Erasmus thanks to the Irish government.

The Republic of Ireland's Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said yesterday this is a "permanent commitment" and "an investment in relationships between institutions north and south".

Alliance MLA Sorcha Eastwood gave a warm welcome to the news.

Writing on social media she also noted "announcements from the Irish government recently" about donations it had made to NI to support nurse training, higher education, roads and rail links and now Erasmus.

By contrast, she characterised the approach of the UK government to NI as, "Here, have this poverty budget and thank us, whilst we show no interest only antagonism [to NI]."

The SDLP also welcomed the news on social media. “Another example of how we can deliver more for a new generation of young people when we work together to build a new Ireland,” it said.

DUP MP and ex-Stormont Finance Minister Sammy Wilson also welcomed the donation - but with qualifications.

"We welcome money from any part of the world so if they want to give us money that is up to themselves. It is moving money into the United Kingdom for the benefit of students in Northern Ireland and providing they don't attach any strings it is welcome.

"I have no doubt that they have got ulterior motives and I think you have always got to bear that in mind. But don't forget, no matter how much they put into Northern Ireland, any crumbs from Dublin's table will never be able to replace the feast that we get from Westminster - currently £12bn a year."