Fees will force students out of education — and out of the country

THE increase in student college charges — starting with an extra €500 next year — will leave thousands without a chance of higher education and force many to emigrate, according to the Union of Students in Ireland.

The newly-branded flat rate student contribution of €2,000, along with a new charge of €200 a year for 38,000 Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course students, is expected to save the Department of Education €31 million a year.

Although it had been speculated the higher education charge could increase to as much as €2,500 next year, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said higher charges will be imposed on third-level students by 2014.

While not stipulated in yesterday’s announcements, it is anticipated a return to tuition fees will be recommended in the higher education strategy report she will publish.

But with details of cuts of €51m a year to grants and other supports for around 80,000 students to be outlined in the 2011 Budget on December 7, USI claimed thousands will be denied the opportunity of a third-level education.

“The increased fee will consign many of them to unemployment and emigration. The double whammy of fee increases and grant cuts will serve as a mortal blow to not only the Irish education system, but the Irish economy in general,” said USI president Gary Redmond.

He said the 5% cut in non-pay grants to third level colleges, which will save €14 million a year, is another example of the hypocrisy of the four-year plan and students will be looking to independent TDs Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy-Rae to insist third-level education is not put beyond the reach of lower and middle-income families.

The introduction of the PLC charge was described by the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) as the thin edge of the wedge as the Government will be free to increase it.

“This will remove the incentive for people who seek to improve their qualifications. While one arm of government promotes getting people back to work, another arm is imposing financial fees on education and training,” said IVEA general secretary Michael Moriarty.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland general secretary Peter MacMenamin said the charge will discriminate directly against the students who can only commit to a one or two-year course.

“With tens of thousands of unemployed seeking re-skilling and school leavers seeking to further their studies, this will have a devastating impact,” he said.