Let’s have a debate about college fees

I CALL on Minister for Education Noel Dempsey to publish his review of the third-level fees issue for public debate, before any decision is made on it.

It was shocking to learn on RTÉ's Questions and Answers that, as of that last Monday night, even the cabinet was ignorant of its contents, although various other government members pontificated upon its possible contents.

It is wrong for the minister or his colleagues to make up their own mind on these options before allowing the public, who are actually paying for the review, to study it and debate the possible options. Any changes in the costs of students going to college will radically upset household budgets and finances of many families.