Migrant students face prohibitive fees

Time is running out for the Government to help hundreds of migrant students facing enormous international student fees at college, many of whom are already Irish citizens.

Migrant Rights Centre Ireland says Education Minister Ruairi Quinn needs to make changes by September to ensure their chances of further study are not lost due to fees of up to three times those charged to other Irish and EU citizens.

The issue affects an estimated 700 Leaving Certificate students a year who came here from non-EU countries to join parents working here legally, and who have been educated in Irish schools.