I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 410 together.
The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. Those costs continue to be incurred by the third level institutions. On 13 November 2003 I announced, as part of the 2004 Estimates for my Department, that the student charge would increase from €670 to a proposed level of €750. No decision has been made regarding the level of the charge for the 2005-06 academic year.
Students eligible for means-tested student support have the student charge paid on their behalf by the local authorities or the vocational education committees in addition to any grant to which they are entitled. No student whose family income is at or less than €40,000 will pay this charge.