Vol. 417 No. 5
214 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Education the cost to post-primary students of sitting certificate examinations in 1992; whether inability to pay the examination fee will debar a student from the examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The ordinary fees payable by school candidates for entry to the 1992 certificate examinations are as follows: leaving certificate, £40; junior certificate, £37.
The repeat fees payable by candidates who attend school with a view to repeating the leaving certificate examination are as follows: for one subject, £40; for two subjects, £81; for three or more subjects, £108. In addition to the entry fee a course fee of £100 is also payable by repeat candidates.
Where, however, the parent or guardian of a school candidate repeating the examination is the holder of a current medical card, the course fee is not payable and only the entry fee payable by first-time candidates applies.
With regard to the question of inability to pay the entry fee, the position is that, in addition to the relief outlined for repeat leaving certificate candidates, my Department also implement a scheme to provide alleviation of fees in the case of any pupil attending school who is experiencing particular hardship. The amount of the reduction in the case of any individual pupil concerned under this scheme is determined at the discretion of the school authorities subject to the total amount of such deductions not exceeding the specified amount notified to each school.
