Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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753. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has considered freezing student contribution fees for students who are participating in an internship and do not avail of college facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53629/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs. This includes determining tuition fees for individual courses.

The higher education tuition fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended.

I have been advised that students are required to pay the student contribution fee while on placement because they remain registered students of their institution. While on placement, student services remain available, such as library access, online resources, administrative support, and student welfare services. The student contribution fee also contributes to the costs associated with administering examinations and assessing students, even if their practical assessment is a placement rather than a traditional exam.

The Deputy may be aware that I recently published the “Annual Options Paper on Reducing the Cost of Education” www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/publications/funding-the-future-an-annual-options-paper-on-the-cost-of-higher-education-2025/. This paper presents a range of evidence-based policy options to inform decision making for Budget 2026 in respect of reducing the cost of education. I wish to advise the Deputy that there are no proposals contained in this paper which are aimed at “freezing student contribution fees for students who are participating in an internship and do not avail of college facilities”.