Third-level investment impossible without return of fees, warns report
The proposed withdrawal of the free fees system is recommended in a long-awaited review of the Irish third-level system carried out for the Government by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The plans are likely to generate strong political opposition after Education Minister Noel Dempsey’s efforts to bring back tuition fees for some students were firmly rejected by the Progressive Democrats last year.
The report, to be published by Mr Dempsey this evening, argues that an appropriate fees policy could widen participation, as their 1995 abolition has not affected the socio-economic make-up of the student body.
The OECD considered the costly needs for buildings and research facilities and funding to widen social participation, reduce drop-out rates and improve lifelong learning opportunities, but also the other demands on the State for public sector finance.
“We’re convinced that these factors point towards the introduction of an enlarged student contribution to the cost of their education,” the report says.
“Without such a policy, we believe there must be serious doubts as to whether it is practicable for State funding to meet the demands for additional investment that the third-level system requires,” it concluded.
The OECD group said that, under a possible student finance system, fees would be reasonable in the context of other living costs and grants would be available to low-income students to pay fees.
The report also suggests reform of the maintenance grant scheme, including regular income reviews and the inclusion of family assets in the means test for eligibility.
Union of Students in Ireland (USI) president Ben Archibald said last night that the OECD has taken the onus for addressing gross underfunding of higher education away from the Government and puts it on students who need assistance.
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