Erasmus students returning to Ireland this summer will have their hotel quarantine paid for by the State at a cost of around €1m.

Around 500 students are currently abroad in countries included on the mandatory quarantine list as part of the EU programme.

Many had warned that they would not be able to afford the €1,875 cost of the 12-night stay.

The updated list includes countries like France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria.

Last night, the Department of Further and Higher Education confirmed that it would pay for their quarantine when they return in the summer.

The Minister of State for Higher Education, Niall Collins, said the news should come as relief.

“We are aware that there are up to 500 Erasmus students studying in the countries which have recently been added to the mandatory quarantine list,” he said.

“Naturally this is a concern to those students and to their families and it is a decision of the department of further and higher education now to cover the cost of mandatory hotel quarantining for those students.”

He said the move would cos the taxpayer around €1m.

“It is estimated that this will place a cost of about one million Euros on the Department of Higher and Further Education, incurring a cost of between 9€1,800 and €2,000 per student],” he said.

Details of the plan are expected to be published in the coming days.

While some students may return before this week’s quarantine deadline, others are not expected back in Ireland until later in the summer.