Colleges 'charge back-door fees'

THE student registration charge of €1,500 a year was described yesterday as "fees by the back door".

All of the money raised is supposed to be used on student services such as clubs, societies, exams, careers services, on-campus medical and counselling facilities.

Yesterday it was confirmed that Trinity College, Dublin, is using almost €9m of the €14.6m raised in this academic year from the charges on core day-to-day spending. Detailed accounts show this year that €5.7m is being spent on student services, ranging from the accommodation office to the day nursery while €1.35m is being spent on exam costs and around the same on registration costs.

The document, seen by the Irish Independent reveals that last year TCD used €2m from the registration charge income to make up some of the cut in the state grant for 'core' activities of the university which include teaching and research. But this year the figure has jumped to €8.8m, which is more than half of the income generated by the student charges.

Fine Gael education spokesperson Brian Hayes told the Oireachtas education committee yesterday that Trinity was no longer hiding behind the masquerade that the income was being used entirely on student services.

Education Minister Mary Coughlan, in her first appearance before the committee, would not be drawn on the use of the students' money.

Costs

She had asked the Higher Education Authority to ensure that all the institutions were using the full income from the charge for its intended purpose -- relating to student services. She said the charge was raised from €900 to €1,500 in the 2008/2009 academic year to bring the student contribution more into line with the real cost of providing student services.

"It was agreed on the understanding that the revenue generated by the increase adopted by each institution would reflect their requirements in defraying the real cost of items that fall to be funded by the charge," she insisted. The minister said there would be no increase in the charge in September but could not give any assurance for the 2011 academic year.

Nor would she comment on the desirability of the re-introduction of tuition fees or of a graduate contribution in the future. She said they were ruled out by this Government but confirmed that the forthcoming strategy report would examine the issue. It would assess options for diversifying funding sources to create a sustainable future funding base for the higher education system over the next 20 years.

- John Walshe Education Editor

Irish Independent