Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if instructions will be issued to all higher education institutions to accept student contributions by instalment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34772/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In recognition of the financial pressures that the student contribution may place on families, my Department, through the Higher Education Authority requested higher education institutions to consider putting in place arrangements under which a student may opt to pay the student contribution in two instalments in a given academic year.

While I understand from the HEA that a small number of institutions do not yet offer this facility due to technical systems limitations, all institutions have been requested to accommodate students who present with financial difficulties on a case by case basis and, from the academic year 2012/13 onwards, to have systems in place that allow for the payment of the student contribution in instalments.