Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 206: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science if she will instruct third level institutions to permit students to pay the registration fee of €1,500 in two tranches, instead of in full at the beginning of the academic year in view of the economic hardship being experienced by many families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14131/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Student Services Charge is levied by the Higher Education institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and student services. All students who are eligible under the means tested student support schemes do not have to pay this charge. The charge is paid on their behalf by the Local Authorities or the Vocational Education Committees, in addition to any maintenance grant and tuition fee grant they are entitled to.

The position is that the Higher Education 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. The arrangements for the collection of the charge are a matter for each individual institution and accordingly I do not have a role in this matter. As the Deputy may be aware there is a Student Assistance Fund (SAF) available in the Higher Education 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.