Vol. 532 No. 1
373 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason repeat leaving certificate students are financially penalised relative to other leaving certificate students regarding fees paid for the leaving certificate examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6736/01]
Examination entry fees are in existence in order to defray in part the cost of running the certificate examinations. It is expected that the fees charged in 2001 will amount to approximately £5 million while the cost of running the examinations will be in the region of £20 million.
This Government revised the scheme of exemption from the payment of examination fees and based it on the general medical services card scheme. Through quadrupling the funding available for fee alleviation we have ensured that about one third of the entire student population are no longer liable for examination fees.
A special entry fee of £145 is payable in respect of a candidate who remains in school with a view to repeating the leaving certificate examination. A course fee of £100 is also payable in respect of such candidates. These special fees are charged on the basis that it is not unreasonable to expect those who have already benefited by the normal course of post-primary schooling, and who wish to sit the examinations a second time, to make a contribution towards the cost of providing the necessary resources. Candidates who are holders of a medical card, or whose parent/guardian is the holder of a medical card, are of course exempt from those special fees.
