Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 3

Written Answers. - Examination Fees Exemption.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

133 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to exempt from examination fees the children of parents whose only income is social welfare benefit or allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22993/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

My Department operates a number of measures aimed at alleviating hardship arising from the payment of examination entry fees. A provision of £500,000 has been made available to schools so that entry fees for the 1997 examinations may be waived or reduced in the case of those experiencing financial hardship.

School authorities are advised that, for the purposes of the scheme, a necessitous pupil may be defined as a child from a home where genuine hardship exists due to unemployment; prolonged illness of parent; large family with inadequate means; single parent; more than one child doing the certificate examinations, and other circumstances which would denote a similar degree of domestic financial hardship.

In addition to the above provision, my Department also operates a scheme under which the fees of candidates repeating the leaving certificate are waived or reduced. A candidate who remains at school to repeat the leaving certificate is normally charged both a course fee — £100 in 1997 — and an increased examination entry fee — £125 in 1997. Where, however, the parent or guardian of the candidate is the holder of a current medical card, the course fee is waived and the examination entry fee is reduced to, at a maximum, the ordinary leaving certificate fee payable by first-time candidates — £46 in 1997.

Candidates who are not attending school may enter personally for the leaving certificate examination under the provisions for admission of external candidates. The ordinary fees payable by external candidates are reduced where the candidate is the holder of a current medical card or is dependent on a parent or guardian who is the holder of a current medical card as follows: one subject: £20, reduced from £46; two subjects: £35, reduced from £91 and three or more subjects: £46, reduced from £134. It is my intention to improve provision in this area on an ongoing, well targeted basis and as resources become available to me.