Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the specific resources available to third level institutions to fund on-campus medical and counselling facilities for students; if she will provide specific funding for such facilities in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28476/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that the third level institutions are autonomous institutions and my Department does not have any function in their day to day operational affairs. The Universities and Institutes of Technology receive a block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each institution to determine how it is allocated internally.

Third level Institutions have a Student Services Charge which is currently €825 per annum per student. This charge is levied by the institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and student services such as that referred to by the Deputy. 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.