Vol. 495 No. 2
195 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will cap student registration fees and make a substantial increase in maintenance grants to students in order to alleviate widespread hardship experienced by students in finding accommodation as a result of escalating house prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19736/98]
In the context of the free fees initiative, the third level colleges levied a standardised charge of £150 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. In the light of the arguments advanced by the universities that the true costs of the services would on average amount to £400 in 1997-98, the need for improved student services and the fact that the charge had been frozen since 1995, I accepted an increase in the charge to £250 for the 1997-98 academic year. In line with the 4 per cent increase agreed for third level tuition fees for the 1998-99 academic year, I also accepted a similar increase in the level of this charge to £260. The level of the charge is subject to annual review .
I would point out that those 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.
The position in relation to maintenance grants is that the value of the maintenance grant, under the student support schemes, was increased by 1.7 per cent for the 1998-99 academic year. This increase is in line with the practice in recent years to increase third level maintenance grants in line with inflation as measured by the change in the consumer price index for the period mid February to mid February each year. The full maintenance grant for the current academic year has been increased to £1,652 at the non-adjacent rate and £660 at the adjacent rate.
I am aware that students are experiencing difficulties with accommodation. These difficulties arise from a number of factors, primarily from the wider problems in housing availability. The package of measures announced by my colleague the Minister for the Environment and Local Government on housing supply will have an impact in due course. I do not accept that an across the board increase in maintenance grants, which some 50 per cent of third level students receive, will have any significant impact on the issue without a major impact on the money available to other educational programmes. I have asked my officials to discuss the problem of student accommodation with the various college authorities and particularly to explore any possible options for increasing the supply of student accommodation. I will of course consider any policy options identified in these discussions.
