O’Keeffe insists loans system plan intact

EDUCATION Minister Batt O’Keeffe has insisted that opposition to the introduction of third-level tuition fees by Green Party TDs and independents who support the Government is not a setback to his plans for a graduate loans system.

He favours a loans system under which students would pay back most of their college costs after graduating. Mr O’Keeffe is expected to recommend it to cabinet next month or in October.

But the responses of TDs to questions from students’ unions shows that any move to introduce such a scheme could be strongly opposed on his own side of the Dáil.