Minister Quinn signs the now infamous pledge at Trinity's front arch
Hilary Grubb
Staff Writer
The Trinity College branch of the Labour Party has expressed its ‘deep concern’ at the proposals of the Labour Party to raise third-level fees or reduce the maintenance grant for students in the forthcoming budget.
Members of the Party have written a letter to all Labour Party TDs stating that ‘a budget which targeted access to third-level education would be completely antithetical to the values that drove us to become active members of this party.’
The letter stipulates that an increase in fees would create a ‘significant detrimental impact upon social mobility and access to education’ and alludes to the promise made by the now Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, not to increase the registration fee or cut the Higher Level Maintenance Grant. Ciaran Lyng, the Chair of the Labour society stated that the fact that the Labour Party may renege on its promise ‘is an absolute disgrace and unfortunately it reinforces the justified cynicism that people have about politics and politicians.’
The fact of the matter is that the Labour Party is the junior party in the coalition government, and therefore while Labour would prefer to focus on taxation it has to concede on certain points such as cutting current expenditure. ‘Naturally Labour is going to have to compromise on certain matters including taxation.’ Lyng pointed out, but he thinks ‘that it is extraordinarily disappointing that a Labour Minister is going to continue those regressive and unfair Fianna Fáil policies in undermining the policy of universal free education.’
The letter essentially condemns the forecasted budgetary cuts and urges that TDs ‘take serious account of our [the Labour Society’s] warnings about the consequences which will flow from a broken promise of this kind.’
