asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to bring the fees payable at the faculty of veterinary medicine, University College, Dublin when expressed as a percentage of current cost, into line with the figures which prevail for students at colleges and facilities which are funded under the aegis of the higher education authority; if she will make a statement on the substantial difference between the staff-student ratio which prevails in the faculty of veterinary medicine and the average figure for colleges, courses and facilities funded under the aegis of the higher education authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Veterinary Medicine.
184.
Funding for the faculties of veterinary medicine, agriculture and dairy science has, since the beginning of the present financial year, been included in the State grant-in-aid to the higher education authority to assist in the funding of institutions operating under its aegis. The determination of student fee levels is not specifically related to individual course costs. In the 1986 financial year the overall income from student fees in the teaching institutions in the HEA sector, including such income in the faculties mentioned above, represented about 25 per cent of the State grant plus fee income. The fee income in high cost faculties wiht relatively low student numbers could, however, be substantially below this general percentage figure. I am not satisfied that comparisons between staff-student ratios in general and those which operate in faculties with relatively low student numbers and a high proportion of practical or laboratory work have any validity.
185.
asked the Minister for Education the number of whole time teaching and support staff, including part time equivalents, employed by the college of veterinary medicine, University College Dublin; the number of whole time students of veterinary medicine in that college and the output of qualified vets from the college for the most recent year for which figures are available; and the current fees paid by such students on a per annum basis and those fees expressed as a fraction of the current operating costs of the facility.
The information required by the Deputy has been obtained from the faculty of veterinary medicine, University College, Dublin and is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
|
Teaching* Staff |
Support Staff to Teaching Staff |
Number of whole time students 1986 |
Number of students who qualified in 1986 |
Total student fees 1986 |
Fee as % of total operating costs 1986 |
|
58½ |
89 |
337** |
62 |
320,745 |
7.4% |
* Includes hours of part time staff amounting to one half the time of a full time member of the teaching staff.
** Includes 20 postgradutes students.