Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding proposals being considered by her Department for a scheme to alleviate tuition fees for people in paid work who study part-time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27815/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Towards 2016 agreement contains a commitment to put in place a targeted scheme to alleviate the fees in public institutions for part-time courses at third level for those at work who have not previously pursued a third level qualification. The Higher Education Authority, in consultation with my Department, is currently developing a scheme in response to this commitment. As part of this scheme a pilot programme in Pharmaceutical Technology has commenced in IT Tallaght. It is expected that a number of other pilot programmes will commence in 2008.

The Programme for Government also includes a commitment to introduce a more extensive new system of means-tested free fees with a view to enabling more people with work or family commitments to avail of opportunities at third level, which will further extend the opportunities available for upskilling. I will, over the coming months, look at how to develop this Programme commitment against the backdrop of the 2016 initiative.