Trinity College Student’s Union President Cónán Ó Broin met with Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe on Wednesday September 2nd. The meeting, which took place at the Department of Education, concerned the issue of the return of third level fees. Batt O’Keeffe is proposing the implementation of a loan scheme, which students would pay off gradually upon graduation and secural of a job. The average cost of third level education, including books, accomodation, food and fees, is estimated to be as much as 69,500.
Ó Broin, who is a strong voice in the anti-fees campaign nationwide, was accompanied by NUIG SU President Donna Cummins. They strongly recommended that any decision on the return of fees be deferred until the Comptroller and Auditor General reports are released in December as; ‘we want to know exactly where the money is going.’ However Batt O’keeffe refused this request. Ó Broin then went on to discuss the huge financial strain that the implementation alone would have on the Country.
Under the new loan scheme, the 1500 registration fee which we currently pay would be abolished and paid instead by the Government. Therefore they would need an extra 173 million to cover that cost alone. Batt O’Keeffe confirmed this figure, yet stated that it did not include administration costs. For the scheme to be fully implemented it would cost an estimated 300 million, yet he refused to confirm this particular figure thus eliminating any chance of having the set up costs laid out step by step, in order to see where the money would be going.
Throughout the Summer Ó Broin has been meeting with Senators and TDs from across the spectrum. Fine Gael Education spokesman Brian Hayes stated ‘in the likely event of Fine Gael being in power in the near future, we would consider revising our proposals on the Graduate tax.’ According to Ó Broin it is beginning to look like the loan scheme ‘just won’t work’. His intentions now are to continue lobbying, along with the other unions, aswell as urging students to write to their local TDs.
The recent Irish Times full page USI advertisement which listed every TDs position on fees, has been hailed by Ó Broin as; ‘very effective; it has focused minds.’ Many TDs however felt that their personal positions on fees were not correctly represented; many vehemently deny being pro-fees. The advertisement was a joint venture between the twenty four students’ unions affiliated with USI, and the four non-affiliated colleges. There has been much demand for Batt O’Keeffe to look at alternative methods for funding our third level sector. A system of progressive taxation was seen as an alternative, and an area which O’Keeffe was urged to consider.
On September 15th a protest was organised by USI at Leinster House as it was the deadline set by O’Keeffe for cabinet members to submit their views on the re-introduction of fees issue. Ó Broin, however, is confident that the campaign will be successful; ‘everything is up in the air. The Government is weak and from my experience inside the Dail they are running scared.’
