Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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332. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent by the State in subsidising third level fees for the 2012/13 academic year. [24019/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the terms of my Department's free fees schemes the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study as set out in the schemes. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA institutions. The HEA allocates this grant to institutions for free fees and core grant funding and other specific earmarked initiatives. Final claims in respect of free fees for the current academic year have not yet been received by the HEA however the estimated cost to the Exchequer is some €380 million for this academic year.