We use Google Analytics to see which pages are read and how the site is used, so we know what to improve. This only runs if you accept. See our privacy notice for details.

Dáil
‹ Questions on Promised Legislation

Third level fees and student access

Summary

Deputy Boyd Barrett raised Trinity student protests over repeat exam fees, accommodation costs and rising fees, linking them to the Government's pledge on access to education. The Minister said access had improved, but the Trinity dispute was a matter for the college, not the Government.

In the education section of the programme for Government the Government promised to establish "a new relationship with students" and also promised to improve accessibility to third level education. I wonder what the Taoiseach thinks in that context of the row that took place last week between students in Trinity College, who were forced to occupy college buildings over attempts to introduce absolutely extortionate repeat exam fees of €450; to increase on-campus student accommodation to €240 per week; to further increase, for the third or fourth year in a row, postgraduate fees and non-EU student fees as well as dramatic increases in registration fees in recent years. I went to Trinity College a couple of times last week and the students said their relationship with the college authorities was broken. They said trust had completely broken down and they were appalled at what this meant in terms of access, in particular for working class students, and they wanted to know that the Government and politicians would back the students in their fight against those extortionate fees.

Comment on this
Richard Bruton Minister for Education and Skills Fine Gael

Good progress has been made in terms of access, which was the initial part of the Deputy's question. There has been a 32% increase in the number of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds going through third level in the past four years and a 55% increase in the number of students with a disability so there is significant improvement.

Unfortunately, the matter the Deputy raises is one for the college not for the Minister for Education and Skills or the Dáil.

Comment on this