asked the Minister for Education whether the town planning course in the faculties of engineering and architecture in UCD is included within the arrangement by which, in the case of the high cost faculty fee, increases have been held to the figure of £10; and, if not, the reason for its exclusion.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Town Planning Course.
39.
The diploma in town planning course was not one of the courses for which the increase in fees in 1970-71 was limited to £10. This is a post-graduate course and the £10 limit on the fee increase in high cost faculties applied to undergraduate courses only.
Would the Minister not agree that this course is, in fact, a course in the high cost faculty of engineering and architecture and why is this to be exempted?
I pointed out we are limiting the contribution towards the fee to undergraduate courses.
When was this stated?
This was evidently when the statement was made originally.
It was not.
That is the position anyway.
The Minister is changing his own rules again.
How?
Because the Minister made an announcement in the Dáil which said nothing about undergraduate courses but said this would apply in the high cost faculties. May I ask the Minister if now, after the event, he is changing the rules and saying he is going to narrow it down.
So that is in the Deputy's view the position if the Minister does not explicitly mention all faculties——
Yes, because the statement was explicit and unqualified. The Minister cannot change the rules after the event.