Opposition attacks move to bring back third-level fees

THE threat of the return of third-level fees came under fire from opposition parties yesterday.

Education Minister Noel Dempsey is believed to have fended off attempts by the Department of Finance to reintroduce college fees in light of the worsening public finances. But the issue is still on the agenda as the Government attempts to make up for the shortfalls caused by the drop in revenue.

Fine Gael and Labour said they were opposed to the move, as it would place financial hardships on thousands of students. Third-level fees were abolished in 1996 by then Education Minister Niamh Bhreathnach.

Fine Gael said cash-strapped families had already been hit by the hike in college registration fees and this would cause hardship for many students this year.

FG education spokesperson Olwyn Enright said the education minister should lay off low and middle-income parents who want to send their children to college.

Blame for the economic woes, which had led to the attempts to bring back college fees, lay at the door of the Government, Ms Enright said.

“The squandering of the nation’s prosperity by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats is not a justification to punish parents who want their children to have a decent education,” she said.

“It is outrageous that the finance minister now sees students and their parents as ‘cash cows’ who will bail him out through the reintroduction of third level college fees. “Certain sectors of society already find it difficult enough to get a third-level education without the extra hardship which college fees will inflict.”

Describing the prospect of the reintroduction of college fees as a short-sighted stroke, Deputy Enright said the move would put the long-term future of the country in jeopardy.

“Our well educated workforce has been the cornerstone of the prosperity which we have witnessed over the last 10 years,” she said.

The Labour Party called on Mr Dempsey to reassure thousands of students who must decide on CAO offers this week that they will be not be paying fees within a year.

Labour’s Eamon Gilmore said if fees were reintroduced many students could be put off pursuing a course because of financial worries.

He said: “This is nothing short of a threatened tax on third level education, designed to raise money for a Government that has made a mess of the economy.

“Students have already been hit by a 70% hike in college registration fees, while rents and the cost of living for students spiral out of control.”

The Labour TD said if Mr Dempsey wanted to do more to end educational disadvantage, he should implement the recommendations of the Action Group on Access to Third-Level Education.

Mr Gilmore said: “Of the over 70 recommendations in that report, very few have been acted upon by Government. He would be better employed using this report as a basis for action rather than threatening students with a tax on third level education.”