Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 2003

Vol. 577 No. 3

Written Answers. - Third Level Fees.

Joe Costello

Question:

49 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Education and Science the level of third level registration charges for the next academic year; the charge applied in 1997 and each successive year; the reason he decided to increase the charge again, particularly in view of the financial difficulties that many students and their families face; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30909/03]

Emmet Stagg

Question:

66 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps his Department intends to take to ensure that third level registration charges are only used for the purposes for which they are intended, that is, student services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30936/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 66 together.

The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. On 13 November I announced, as part of my Department's 2004 Estimates, that the student charge will increase from €670 to a proposed level of €750. Students eligible for means-tested student supports have the charge paid for by local authorities or the vocational education committees. This is in addition to their grants. No student with a family income of less than €40,000 will pay the charge.

The fee is paid by students on an academic year basis. The charges for each year since 1997 is as follows:

1997-98	€317
1998-99	€330
1999-20	€353
2000-01	€371
2001-02	€396
2002-03	€670
2003-04	€670
2004-05	€750 proposed.

In 1998 the Higher Education Authority issued to the publicly funded third level institutions a framework of good practice for the provision of student services within the charge. Particular reference was made to the principles of transparency and accountability. The framework consisted of guidelines to establish an appropriate system of consultation with students on the allocation of funding from the charge and on the determination of student services to be funded from this source. For transparency the framework recommended that each institution should provide information on the allocation of the charge towards examination, registration and student services on an annual basis.