College registration fees set to hit €3k, says Quinn
Following the hike of €250 in December’s budget, Mr Quinn confirmed he will be seeking another increase in the region of €700 next year.
“We now have this €2,000 fee going up to €2,250 next year and probably increasing up to €3,000. There has been a squeeze on the administrative fund and that squeeze will continue for the next two years,” said Mr Quinn, speaking at the inaugural Issues in Irish Journalism seminar at the University of Limerick.
Mr Quinn also said he believed poorly performing third level lecturers needed to be held account.
“Any sector that is funded by the State through the taxpayer is subject to anecdotal based abuse or criticism unless the institution itself decides to put in place a robust and transparent system of evaluation,” the minister said.
Mr Quinn also confirmed the Government is to review its plan to cut teacher allowances and that in some cases, some may be paid “where there is a case that can be made”.
It emerged this week that while teachers who are to take up the early retirement scheme on offer up to the end of February, their newly qualified replacements will stand to loose up to €9,000 in allowances through cuts.
He said his colleague in the Department of Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howling, would be conducting the review and that will take a matter of weeks.
Mr Quinn also explained that a short-term plan had been put in place to try and deal with the impending crisis in teacher numbers.
