Third Level Fees

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Questions (228, 248, 254)

Michael McNamara

Question:

228. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the announcement made on St. Patrick's Day this year to the effect that Irish citizen children, children from Irish emigrant families living outside the European Union who return as undergraduates to Irish universities or third level colleges, would no longer have to pay the full international fee applies equally to children who have already completed a year or more of their third level education or only those who had not yet entered third level education at the time of the announcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25322/14]

Seán Fleming

Question:

248. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Irish students who moved to Australia three years ago and completed their secondary education there will be classified as foreign students if they return to Ireland for third level education; if they will be required to pay student fees and registration fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25656/14]

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

254. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way an Irish student who is currently studying third level but who completed their second level education abroad can move from paying the non-EU fees scheme to the EU fee scheme as outlined in his announcement on the 17 March 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25930/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 228, 248 and 254 together.

The position is that where full-time undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees they must pay the appropriate fee as determined by their third level institution. In the case of students who do not meet the residency clause of the free fees scheme, I have requested that the higher education institutions charge the more moderate EU fee to EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who have completed at least five academic years of study (Primary or Post-Primary level) in the EU/EEA or Switzerland.

I have asked that these revised arrangements be implemented by the institutions for new entrant undergraduate students with effect from the next academic year.