Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

While I welcome the response of the Minister of State, it misses the core point. I have a copy of a letter received by 600 students. I argue a high proportion of these students will receive a maintenance grant when their applications are processed and that, therefore, they should not be required to pay the fee in the first place. However, Letterkenny Institute of Technology is asking them to pay it by this Friday. The letter contains four bullet points indicating that failure to pay will result in a student's examination results being withheld; his or her computer accounts and library cards being disabled, and access to medical facilities being withdrawn. These four threats have been made.

My purpose in raising the matter was to establish if the Minister or departmental officials would contact all third level institutions to ask them to show maximum flexibility and issue no more threats to students, as it is not their fault.