Third Level Fees.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 October 2004

Wednesday, 27 October 2004

Ceisteanna (219, 220)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

322 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the numbers of students not required to pay the annual third level college capitation fee charge for each year from 1997 to date; and the reason for the exemption. [26155/04]

Joan Burton

Ceist:

323 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students exempted from the annual college capitation fee for each year from 1997 to date, according to the local authority area. [26156/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 323 together.

The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services. The student charge in the 2004-05 academic year is €750. Students who are eligible under my Department's means-tested maintenance grant schemes have the charge paid on their behalf by the local suthorities and vocational education committees, in respect of third level study in Ireland.

The following tables set out the total number of students in receipt of funding under the three third level grant schemes, since 1997. The payment of the student charge under the schemes is extended to eligible students pursuing their studies in Ireland. This represents approximately 96% of grant holders.

Table 1

Academic Year	Grantholders under HEG Scheme	Grantholders under VEC Scheme	Grantholders under TLT Scheme	Total Number of Grantholders
1997/98	26,281	5,254	15,997	47,532
1998/99	25,670	5,292	15,521	46,483
1999/00	24,924	5,694	14,916	45,534
2000/01	24,121	5,590	14,160	43,871
2001/02	23,380	5,782	13,738	42,900
2002/03	24,180	6,628	13,401	44,209
2003/04 (est)	26,317	7,979	14,194	48,490

Table 2

Grant Awards Under the HEG Scheme.
Local Authority	1997/98	1998/99	1999/00	2000/01	2001/02	2002/03
Carlow Co Council	277	283	285	273	232	222
Cavan Co Council	431	454	466	472	447	446
Clare Co Council	864	895	899	842	1,184	1,037
Cork City Council	933	915	876	831	759	817
Cork County Council	2,537	2,427	2,331	2,281	2,041	2,144
Donegal Co Council	1,166	1,188	1,187	1,165	1,139	1,091
Dublin City Council	2,258	2,254	2,162	2,222	2,213	2,363
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Co Council	829	751	698	747	722	800
Fingal Co Council	644	575	577	520	490	575
South Dublin Co Council	1,024	902	904	840	801	811
Galway Co Council	1,979	1,981	1,759	2,017	2,008	2,107
Kerry Co Council	1,295	1,260	1,153	1,161	1,174	1,190
Kildare Co Council	690	675	684	630	594	688
Kilkenny Co Council	629	667	699	700	660	619
Laois Co Council	422	435	425	396	371	378
Leitrim Co Council	217	224	225	248	251	233
Limerick Co Council	1,132	1,086	1,231	920	854	870
Limerick City Council	314	272	259	229	231	270
Longford Co Council	332	323	302	304	281	307
Louth Co Council	546	565	481	312	453	466
Mayo Co Council	1,461	1,329	1,226	1,230	1,280	1,313
Meath Co Council	731	685	657	587	551	552
Monaghan Co Council	431	462	444	413	419	457
Offaly Co Council	456	478	414	379	329	328
Roscommon Co Council	550	529	536	538	447	477
Sligo Co Council	403	399	377	387	363	393
Tipperary N.R. Co Council	539	575	575	592	526	594
Tipperary S.R. Co Council	637	608	629	563	505	494
Waterford Co Council	439	431	443	448	362	397
Waterford City Council	174	173	184	166	146	168
Westmeath Co Council	584	535	522	488	443	392
Wexford Co Council	802	830	830	750	663	712
Wicklow Co Council	555	504	484	470	441	469
TOTAL	26,281	25,670	24,924	24,121	23,380	24,180

Table 3

Grant Awards under the VEC Scheme
VEC	1997/98	1998/99	1999/00	2000/01	2001/02	2002/03
Co. Carlow	102	106	108	108	137	146
Co. Cavan	102	98	119	113	135	151
Co. Clare	143	151	159	123	155	191
Co. Cork	416	486	458	429	439	512
City of Cork	109	124	140	154	150	143
Co. Donegal	652	521	511	540	536	668
City of Dublin	227	181	147	184	204	202
Co. Dublin	216	209	435	263	241	259
Dun Laoghaire	27	19	41	36	30	37
City of Galway	81	85	73	86	116	152
Co. Galway	275	307	371	381	352	399
Co. Kerry	260	266	297	347	366	398
Co. Kildare	94	115	106	104	113	118
Co. Kilkenny	92	120	93	101	104	124
Co. Laois	85	102	84	90	78	89
Co. Leitrim	72	70	87	77	74	82
City of Limerick	80	80	88	88	94	127
Co. Limerick	217	227	214	226	281	278
Co. Longford	68	59	61	56	74	65
Co. Louth	184	185	173	182	197	219
Co. Mayo	254	225	244	269	290	311
Co. Meath	122	114	140	117	123	410
Co. Monaghan	114	139	154	144	125	128
Co. Offaly	104	105	131	146	140	182
Co. Roscommon	182	169	171	172	171	186
Co. Sligo	144	145	148	149	154	171
Co. Tipperary (NR)	134	135	133	118	132	133
Co. Tipperary (SR)	107	138	145	149	155	170
Co. Waterford	68	54	64	67	71	60
City of Waterford	140	144	128	106	81	83
Co. Westmeath	85	84	108	122	117	122
Town of Wexford	11	—	13	—	—	—
Co. Wexford	149	199	200	208	201	193
Co. Wicklow	138	130	150	135	146	119
TOTAL	5,254	5,292	5,694	5,590	5,782	6,628

Table 4

Grant Awards under the TLT Scheme
Institute	1997/98	1998/99	1999/00	2000/01	2001/02	2002/03
Athlone	1,505	1,363	1,431	1,381	1,350	1,352
Carlow	1,339	1,177	1,107	1,066	932	817
Cork	1,700	1,639	1,601	1,543	1,526	1,469
Dundalk	1,194	1,082	1,013	841	784	737
Galway	1,833	1,945	1,874	1,796	1,792	1,721
Letterkenny	1,020	1,141	1,038	1,085	952	895
Limerick	1,077	1,090	1,178	1,089	1,007	932
Sligo	1,284	1,500	1,296	1,459	1,475	1,529
Tallaght	393	431	499	391	391	426
Tralee	1,108	999	988	891	938	868
Waterford	1,512	1,419	1,347	1,289	1,254	1,326
DIT	1,861	1,537	1,219	928	813	777
Dun Laoghaire	171	185	193	198	195	171
TRBDI*	—	13	96	115	167	165
Blanchardstown	—	—	36	88	162	216
TOTAL	15,997	15,521	14,916	14,160	13,738	13,401

* Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute

Question No. 324 answered with Question No. 116.