Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on the heavy financial burdens imposed by repeat examination fees upon third level students; his further views on whether such fees are contrary to the aims and ideas of the free fees scheme; if he will ensure steps are taken to reverse these punitive charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19715/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's Free Fees Initiative the exchequer meets the tuition fees of full-time eligible undergraduate students. Third level Institutions have a Student Services Charge which is levied by the institutions to defray the costs of normal examinations, registration and student services. This charge does not cover the costs associated with the setting, administering and correcting of repeat examinations offered by institutions as a second chance option for students.

All students who are eligible for a means tested student support grant have the Student Services 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. 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, for which the Governing Bodies and the management staff of the institutions are responsible. Accordingly I do not have a role in this matter.

However as the Deputy may be aware there is a Student Assistance Fund (SAF) available in the third level institutions. The objective of the SAF is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons, suffer severe hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies. Applications for funding should be made by the individual student to the Access Officer in their institution. The SAF is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he plans to meet with his Northern Ireland counterpart to discuss the issues of cross-Border education with a view to solving the issues prohibiting students crossing the Border to study, namely the £3,000 per annum fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19522/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Departments Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees of eligible students, including those from Northern Ireland and other EU Member States, who are attending approved third-level courses in the State. The main conditions are that students must be first-time undergraduates and hold E.U. nationality or official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in an E.U. Member State for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. There are no plans to extend this initiative to cover third-level institutions in Northern Ireland. However Section 473A of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 provides for tax relief on tuition fees, at the standard rate of tax in respect of approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in both EU and in non-EU member states.