Labour to ‘look at’ third-level fees [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 10 February 2011
THE Labour Party has left open the possibility of some form of student contribution to the cost of third-level education, saying it will be “looked at in the context of budgetary constraints.” Labour is the only one of the three main parties opposed to fees — something that could be an issue in any programme for government negotiations with Fine Gael.
But it refused to rule out some form of contribution from students, which could include a graduate tax or student loan scheme.
Education spokesman Ruairí Quinn said that while “access” to third level should be free, “this does not mean education is free.”
Asked if students could be sure that Labour in Government would not impose some form of fees, he said the party’s position remains “exactly the same” but “we are in a very difficult economic situation.”
He said: “As to what we can do next September, quite honestly we are going to have to look at that in the context of budgetary constraints and everything else and where it is.”
Mr Quinn was speaking at the launch of the Labour party’s policy on improving literacy among school children, particularly in disadvantaged schools.
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