€3,000 levy is a barrier to a college education

Comedian Brendan O’Carroll, who was recently named ‘philanthropist of the year,’ said that “schooling should be free”. 

In saying this, Brendan has endorsed the progressive actions of Donogh O’Malley and Niamh Bhreathnach, former ministers for education, who introduced free second-level and free third-level education, respectively.

But the ink was hardly dry on the free-fees initiative when the third-level sector introduced a student levy for registration, examinations and services.