Yes minister, it is a climbdown

EDUCATION Minister Noel Dempsey and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday dramatically caved in to the Progressive Democrats’ demands that college fees would not return.

Tánaiste Mary Harney crucially came up with the €12 million needed to fund Mr Dempsey’s package for disadvantaged students this year and force the embarrassing climbdown.

To the relief of the 62,000 students sitting the Leaving Cert next week and their families, the minister confirmed fees were off the agenda and the €42 million package has been guaranteed for next year.

The deal to end the fees controversy was struck at a secret meeting attended by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Mr Dempsey and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy on Saturday.

At the meeting, held in the Taoiseach’s constituency headquarters of St Luke’s in Drumcondra, Ms Harney produced the bulk of the funding for this year through extra unexpected revenue in her department.

The deal was agreed at lunchtime on Saturday, leaving Department of Education officials to fill in the details, allowing the minister to announce the package at a hastily convened press conference yesterday morning.

Denying he had staked his career on getting back third-level fees, Mr Dempsey admitted he and the Taoiseach still believed the wealthy should pay for third-level education.

“I went about getting extra money for access to third level for disadvantaged groups and I got that - not the way I wanted it - that’s not saying I got it the way I wanted it but I have the money. Fees are off the agenda because we have considerably more than I would have got from the return of fees,” he said.

“I still strongly believe and hold on personally to the belief that people that can afford should pay,” he added.

Last night, Government spokespersons were brushing off any suggestion that the fees debacle had left a rift between the Coalition parties.

“We are happy to be able to reach a resolution that suits all parties,” the Taoiseach’s spokesperson said.

The Tánaiste’s spokesman said Ms Harney welcomed the decision and the deal will deliver improved access to third-level education.

“That was the focus. The Tánaiste was keen to find a resolution,” the spokesman said.

Despite the climbdown in the face of implacable opposition from the junior coalition partner, Mr Dempsey refused to accept it was a victory for the PDs.

“I think this is a great day for the Government and the people that will benefit from the disadvantage package,” he said.

The decision to abandon the third-level fees plan and put €42 million into third-level access was welcomed by opposition parties and the Union of Students in Ireland.

But Fine Gael education spokesperson Olwyn Enright said the minister clearly did not have proper support from the Taoiseach and his own party.

“I do think it is damaging for the minister,” she said.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the Taoiseach was also damaged as he had shown an absence of political leadership.

“Bertie Ahern gave the impression of backing both sides until the public anger at this proposal grew to a level that even he could not ignore,” he said.

In an effort to distract from the continuing criticism and ream of crises hitting the Government, Fianna Fáil launched an attack on the opposition yesterday.

Launching a document focusing on election promises made by Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party, Minister for Communications Dermot Ahern claimed these parties’ economic policies would have returned the country to borrowing for current spending, job losses and emigration.