Labour dismisses new proposal as a barrier to education
Thursday March 19 2009
FINE Gael's plan to force third-level students to pay 30pc toward the cost of their education has angered its opposition ally and potential coalition partner.
The 'free fees' initiative was introduced by Labour in 1996. The party still insists all the costs of going to college should be borne by the State.
Labour's education spokes-man Ruairi Quinn last night said the Fine Gael plan would represent another "barrier" to third-level education.
"There are enough barriers there already. The average arts degree costs €40,000 over the space of four years in terms of food and lodging, spending money and books," he said.
Although both parties agree that the registration fees of €1,500 per third-level student should be abolished, Fine Gael wants students to contribute to the cost after they have graduated. But Mr Quinn said Labour wanted the funding for third-level education to come from general taxation.
"This generation of students and those who have followed them are the nation's living pension fund and we believe in investing in them and getting as many of them to college as possible," he added.
The dispute has widened the gap between the two parties, who adopted common policies for the 2007 general election -- although Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has made it clear he wants Labour to contest the next election as an independent party.
Fine Gael and Labour are also split over state support for 56 fee-paying schools, which receive over €100m from the taxpayer every year. Mr Quinn has questioned why so much is being spent on "the most able and wealthy", but Fine Gael has failed to come out against the payments.
Yesterday, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said this was an issue for another day. He played down the differences, saying that each party was entitled to develop its own policies.
- Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
