Vol. 487 No. 4
173 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the hardship caused to many third level students as a result of capitation charges of £250; if he will agree to cap these charges at the current level, considering the high expenses incurred by students and the low level of maintenance grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4308/98]
In the context of the free fees initiative, a standardised charge of £150 was levied by the third level colleges in the 1995/96 academic year for examinations, registration and student services. This charge was fixed at a maximum of £150 for the 1995/96 and 1996/97 academic years and set for review this year.
The universities have argued that the true cost of these charges would on average amount to £400 in the 1997/98 academic year and that, increasingly, the services have required subvention from other areas of their income. The need for improved student services has also been highlighted by both the universities and the technological sector. In the light of these arguments and the fact that the charge had been frozen since 1995, I accepted that the third level institutions could increase this charge to £250 for the 1997/98 academic year.
I would point out that students who are eligible for maintenance grants under the means tested student support schemes do not have to pay this charge. In this regard, some 60 per cent of certificate and diploma students in the technological sector and 40 per cent of students in the university sector are eligible for maintenance grants. I also requested the chairman of the Higher Education Authority to reconvene the working group, which was previously established to review and make recommendations on the implementation of the charge, to prepare a framework of good practice in relation to this charge, with particular reference to the principles of transparency and accountability. The working group has now completed its work and the Higher Education Authority has recently issued the framework to the publicly funded third level institutions. I have asked the authority to co-ordinate the review after six months, recommended by the working party, of the consultative procedures and their outcome. I have not taken any decisions about the future arrangements in relation to this charge.
