Batt O'Keeffe
Question:143 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education if free fees are being allowed to students taking the pharmaceutical technology course in Trinity College, Dublin 2. [4367/97]
Written Answers - Higher Education Grants.
Under the free fees initiative, tuition fees are payable in respect of eligible students who are attending full-time undergraduate courses which must generally be of at least two years duration, at approved third level institutions.
The first year of the pharmaceutical technician course is aided by the European Social Fund as a post-leaving certificate course and is pursued in Coláiste Íde, Finglas which is a second level college. The remainder of the course consists of six months practical work experience with the final six months taking place in Trinity College.
Under the free fees initiative, the universities recoup tuition fees in respect of students attending courses which come within the eligibility criteria, from the Higher Education Authority. I understand that students on this course in 1995-96 were inadvertently included in the free fees initiative. When the question of this course's inclusion within the free fees initiative was brought to my Department's attention, my Department advised that the course did not meet the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the initiative.