Michael Ring
Ceist:208 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason persons (details supplied) in County Mayo have to pay college fees for their child. [30542/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 24 November 2004
Ceisteanna (211)
Freagraí scríofa
The main conditions of my Department's free fees initiative are that students must (a) be first-time undergraduates; and (b) 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. If students do not meet these requirements they are liable to pay tuition fees.
I would 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. Universities 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.