Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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1217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines, recommendations or regulations in place for Universities in the use of debt collection agencies in the collection of unpaid fees from students; the number of Universities that use debt collection agencies for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30798/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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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. The collection and administration of the student contribution and tuition fees, where a student is not eligible for funding under my Department's free fees schemes, is a matter for the third level institution to which a student is attending.

In relation to the specific issue of debt collectors, as referred to by the Deputy, I would hope that institutions deal with such students in a sensitive and understanding manner. As requested by my Department, institutions have facilities in place to allow students to pay the student contribution in two moieties in order to spread the financial cost of third level, rather than having to make one lump payment at the start of the academic year. I understand from the Higher Education Authority that three of the seven Universities use debt collection agencies.