Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004
219 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the circumstances under which non-nationals whose parents reside here on work permits may qualify for reduced third level fees; if such reductions in fees apply to all third level colleges, including institutes of technology; if the three-year residency rule means three full years of two years and part of a third year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19355/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe main conditions of my Department's free fees initiative are that students must be first-time undergraduates and hold EU nationality or official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.
I emphasise the distinction between the criteria that determine eligibility under the free fees initiative and the criteria by which individual third level institutions establish what rates of tuition fees should be charged in cases where a student does not qualify for free fees. Third level institutions are autonomous bodies and, as such, may determine the level of fees to be charged in cases where the free fees initiative does not apply. The classification of a student as an EU or a non-EU applicant is a matter for each institution to determine in this regard.
