Fees review was ‘a delaying tactic’

The latest review to consider student fees — set up by Ruairi Quinn weeks before leaving Government — was a political delaying tactic, the former minister’s top policy adviser confirmed.

It was denied in the summer that ex-education minister Mr Quinn’s setting up of an expert group on higher education funding was a way of avoiding unpopular decisions on student fees or loans, although it was not expected to report to Government until before the 2016 general election.

Chaired by Irish Congress of Trade Unions ex-chief Peter Cassells, the group is considering likely future third-level student numbers, costs of running the sector, along with what mix of public funding and student fees would be needed, and how any new fees system would be operated.