The political maelstrom that has precipitated in the wake of Education Minister Batt O'Keefe's suggestion that Third Level Fees are back on the cards is wholly laughable given his statement on the matter yesterday. Mr O’Keeffe said yesterday the introduction of third-level fees for better-off families was being considered but today said any new fees would target millionaires and those with “excellent salaries”.
What baffles me is that the very small minority that he refers to is hardly going to solve the chronic under-funding of Irish universities. He is yet to draw a limit at which people have to start paying for their fees but from the statements made so far this is to be set quite high. What would the point of having 3-5% of students pay their fees?!? Of course, the argument is that the limit can be decreased and that there will be pressure to do this as time goes on. But to be perfectly honest, the Irish third-level sector is in serious trouble and in need of proper funding, which cannot just come from government. Private investment must be secured. The CAO system also feels somewhat broken.
Personally, I feel radical changes need to be brought to the whole area of Irish Third Level education. Fees may not be such a bad thing but then Irish banks need to grow up in that culture and begin to offer good packages to students (which they don't have to start paying back immediately upon graduation). I will write of the CAO system tomorrow as all those Leaving Cert-ers will be getting their results in the morning. Good luck to them all!
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