Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I am aware Committee Stage of the Student Services Bill will be taken this month and it will streamline some of the issues I raised. Students in receipt of means-tested third level grants do not have to pay the student services fee. However, if their forms have not been processed, there is no proof they are eligible for exemption from the student services fee. Some students have been badly caught by this because certain institutions will not accept word of mouth assurances in this regard. I hope the new system will speed up the grant-awarding process. I hope it also will make this as easy as possible to negotiate. Proving that one does not have to pay the charge necessitates having to get some information to say the form is being processed. I hope the Minister of State can see the anomaly involved.