“Confusion has arisen as to how much funds will be allocated to student services due to the rebranding of the student registration fee for next term. The Student Contribution Charge, which was introduced when the 2011 budget was announced, will replace the student registration fee for the term 2011/2012 …” (more)
[Katie Hughes, University Observer, 1 March]
“The Union of Students in Ireland has welcomed the Labour Party’s commitment to abolish the €200 registration fee for Post Leaving Certificate courses, and to reducing the student services charge back to €1,500, if they are in Government after the election …” (more)
[Irish Press Releases, 17 February]
“Relations between the two government parties are coming under strain over a proposed €400 million in spending cuts targeting the education sector. The scale of the cuts planned for education is expected to result in a roll-back of pledges that were secured during negotiations between the Greens and Fianna Fáil on the renewed Programme for Government last year …” (more)
[Niamh Connolly, Sunday Business Post, 31 October]
“There is growing speculation that next month’s Budget will contain an increase in registration fees by around €1,000 or even doubled by €1,500 to €3,000 for next year …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 31 October]
“The middle class will be hit hard when student registration charges for higher education rocket next year. Charges jumped from €900 to €1,500 last year and a further substantial rise is on the cards …” (more)
[John Walshe, Independent, 27 October]
“The Government is considering raising student registration charges again to achieve savings in the near €9 billion education budget …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 27 October]
“This year’s cohort of class reps was told to expect a significant raise in the student registration fee as well as major cutbacks in student support services in the upcoming Budget, which will be delivered on December 7th …” (more)
[Ronan Costello, University Times, 19 October]
“Sources in the Department of Education and Skills have indicated that the government is considering increasing the registration fee to the order of €3,000 in the budget in December …” (more)
[Richard Manton, SIN, 11 October]
“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has accused the Government of attempting to impose tuition fees on students in the guise of the college registration fee. The registration fee is designed to offset the costs of exams, student services and registration fees. But colleges have conceded it is being used for other services …” (more)
[Irish Press Releases, 6 September]
“The Union of Students in Ireland has claimed the Government is planning to reintroduce higher education fees by increasing the level of payments made by students for third-level services …” (more)
[Éanna Ó Caollaí, Irish Times, 24 August]
“Students face the prospect of another hike in college registration fees. Tanaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan yesterday ruled out a return of third-level fees as 58,000 students received their Leaving Certificate results …” (more)
[Aine Kerr and John Walshe, Independent, 19 August]
“Some readers of this blog may have come across recent media reports indicating that the TCD Students Union has complained about the way the student registration charge is being spent in that college …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 17 December]
“The Union of Students in Ireland has urged the Minister of Education, Batt O’ Keeffe, to freeze the third level registration fee. USI understands that the registration fee is currently being used to supplement the core grant in colleges nationwide …” (more)
[Irish Press Releases, 7 December]
“The Union of Students in Ireland will give a presentation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science today (December 2). The issues raised in this presentation will include the delay in the processing of student maintenance grants, and the importance of capping the college registration fee …” (more)
[Irish Press Releases, 2 December]
“There has been a certain amount of media coverage of the claim by Trinity College Dublin Students Union that at least some of the student registration charge, which is intended to pay for student services, is being used by TCD to pay for other things through the general budget …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 22 November]
“A new row over third-level funding has been sparked by student union claims that colleges are using most of their €1,500-a-head registration charges to plug gaps in state funding. The claim by student representatives in the country’s two largest universities, TCD and UCD, will be investigated by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 20 November]
“Just a third of the registration fee paid by students of Trinity College Dublin is used on student services, an Oireachtas committee heard today. A copy of accounts sent to the Oireachtas Education committee by TCD student’s union reveal that much of the registration fee was used in lieu of cuts in the Government grant for the college, committee chairman and Green education spokesman Paul Gogarty said …” (more)
[Irish Times, 19 November]
“The Minister for Finance, Mr Brian Lenihan, has refused to rule out a further increase in registration fees for third level students. In an exclusive interview last week with Trinity News (see Business and Careers Section) the Minister was asked what plans his government have with regard to the annual ‘student services’ registration fee which has increased substantially over the last few years. Mr Lenihan said he could not offer an assurance that it would not rise again in the coming academic year …” (more)
[Lisa Keenan, USI Facebook page, 19 November]
“The Higher Education Authority is refusing to allow third level colleges fund student leisure, counselling and other services even though students have paid for those services through their registration fees. Gyms, swimming pools and other facilities in third level colleges have been shut down because the colleges have not been allowed to renew staff contracts …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 23 October]
Ninth Level Ireland 