Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - Fees Increase.

Miss Coughlan

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabáil leis an gCeann Comhairle as ucht cead a thabhairt dom an t-ábhar seo a chur os comhair an Aire Stáit agus os comhair na Dála. Is ábhar an-tábhachtach é agus is mór an trua nach bhfuil an tAire féin anseo. Tá súil agam afach go mbeidh an tAire Stáit ábalta rud éigin a dhéanamh ar son na macléinn san Ollscoil.

I will not get into a rehash of the universities legislation nor the débâcle concerning the removal of fees. However, the Minister should intervene on behalf of students and their families with regard to the increase in fees imposed in University College, Dublin, I refer in particular to the repeat examination fees of £100 at UCD which are in stark contrast to many other universities. For example, there is no repeat examination fee in Dublin University, or Trinity as it is commonly known, while in Dublin Institute of Technology it is £25 and in NCAD £24. If we are trying to achieve equity within our third level institutions it is unfair for UCD to impose a fee of £100.

I cannot understand why the deferral fee has been introduced. Last year it was £30 in UCD but has now risen to £103. That is a huge jump amounting to an increase of almost 250 per cent which is totally unwarranted. The Minister should speak to the college authorities to see if that fee can be struck out. Many colleges do not have deferral fees which are a disincentive as well as an imposition on students. A request to defer an examination is usually made because of ill health or personal reasons.

The £50 late payment fee is seen as an unfair fine. Many students do not know when fees are expected so this late payment fee is unwarranted. In other universities and third level colleges the late payment fee is only £18 or £19 while in UCD it is £50.

While it may be unfair of me to pre-empt his reply, I assume the Minister of State will say that the Minister has no role in the day to day running of universities. I know, however, that the Higher Education Authority is concerned about the diversity of fees being imposed by universities and particularly in UCD.

Given that ordinary tuition fees have been removed, the Minister should ensure that universities do not try to create other forms of income on the backs of students, in particular with regard to repeat and deferral fees. Currently, there is a huge debate in UK universities about the lack of State funding. It is reminiscent of the rates support grants to county councils. I would not like inordinate expense imposed on young people at examination time.

Will the Minister put these points to the administrator and registrar in UCD? Many people are concerned about the matter. The students union has expressed concern to the college authorities. I hope the Minister can intervene on this occasion.

Mr. Allen

I am happy to have an opportunity to respond to the Deputy on this matter.

As the Deputy is aware, the overall policy approach to higher education was set out in the White Paper. Among other things, the policy approach set out in that paper sought to balance institutional autonomy with the needs of public policy and accountability, having due regard to the respective rights and responsibilities of the State and the various institutions.

The policy framework reflected in the White Paper is based on the recognition that the governance and management of universities is primarily a matter for the institutions within the broad constraints of the efficient and effective use of resources. It follows, therefore, that it would not be appropriate for me to attempt to interfere in the day to day operational affairs of any such institutions. The Deputy was correct in forecasting what I would say. That was the thrust of the arguments her party put forward on the Universities Bill.

Miss Coughlan

I appeal to the Minister of State's humanity.

Mr. Allen

She is concerned about the undue influence the Government might have on the affairs of colleges and institutions.

The Higher Education Authority is the statutory body directly involved with the universities. It is the body responsible for the disbursement of Exchequer funding among the different institutions which have already been required to fund part of their expenditure through the generation of non-Exchequer income, such as fees. Given the extent of demand for limited Exchequer funds, income from own resources must be an ongoing feature of university funding in the foreseeable future. Within agreed budgets, the universities are responsible for deploying all their resources in a cost effective and efficient manner.

I have had inquiries made about the level of fees charged by University College Dublin. I understand for those repeating an undergraduate examination there the fee has been increased from £100 to £103 in line with inflation. For those repeating post-graduate examinations at mastershigher diploma level, the fee has been reduced from £126 to £103. The fee for students who defer sitting their examinations has been increased from £30 to £50. There has been no increase in the charge for students making late payment of college fees and this remains at its existing level of £50. For students who defer taking up their places from one academic year to another the charge remains at £5, as heretofore.

These fees and charges arise in the main from the needs of the institutions to meet the administrative and other costs involved in making the necessary arrangements and providing the various services to students. These charges fall within the day to day operational arrangements in the institutions and it would be inappropriate for the Minister for Education to seek to interfere in this area.