Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the charge students are levied with for sitting the leaving certificate; the amount students are charged for repeating the leaving certificate; and the reason there is a difference in price when resitting exams. [2638/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The 2007 examination fee for Leaving Certificate candidates is €96. The fee for school-based repeat Leaving Certificate candidates is €251.

Special fees for repeat candidates were introduced in 1987 on the basis that it is not unreasonable to expect those who have already benefitted from the normal course of second level education, and who wish to take an extra year, to make a contribution towards the cost of providing the necessary resources. A course fee is also payable in respect of such candidates.

Generally, examination fees cover only a fraction of the cost of running the examinations, and these costs have been spiralling in recent years as new methods of assessment are introduced in various subjects.

There is an alleviation scheme in place whereby current medical card holders and their dependents are exempt from the payment of fees. This exemption applies to approximately 30% of all examination candidates each year.

This alleviation scheme also applies in the case of repeat candidates in respect of both the course fee and the repeat examination fee.