Greens to concede to fee hikes but defend pupil-teacher ratio

THE Green Party is likely to concede to increases of up to €1,000 in student service charges next year, but is insisting that class sizes in schools cannot be increased.

While Taoiseach Brian Cowen refused to be drawn on the student registration fee issue in Dáil clashes with Labour Party Eamon Gilmore, the Irish Examiner understands the coalition partners are close to agreeing an increase of up to €1,000. That would bring the charge to €2,500 a year, almost three times the €900 fee in place in autumn 2008.

An increase at that level could give third-level colleges an extra €130 million, but the Government is expected to cut far more than that figure from their overall funding of around €1.9 billion.