Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the cost of third level registration fees which has jumped from €190 in 1995 to €800 in 2007; the steps she will take to cut the fees in order to assist the many students with this unfair financial burden; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21625/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The student charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and students services, which are not covered by the free tuition fees scheme. In recent years the charge has been increased from €750 for the academic year 2004/05, to €775 in 2005/06, to €800 in 2006/07 and now stands at €825 for 2007/08, an increase of €25 per student per annum.

All students who are eligible for a means tested student support grant have the student charge paid on their behalf by the Local Authorities or the Vocational Education Committees, in addition to any maintenance grant and tuition fee grant to which they are entitled.