No harm in debating third-level fees

Today (Wednesday), over 68,000 Leaving Cert students will find out if they have been successful in their wish for gaining a place at one of Ireland"s universities for a free third-level education. But now the contentious 'reintroduction of fees question" has raised its controversial head again: Free, but for how long? Since the abolition of fees under the Rainbow Coalition in the 1990s, the number of students going on to third-level education has risen. Now the Department of Education has this week said it is considering the reintroduction of third-level fees. Such fees, if introduced, would target families who are well-off and would not apply to those who can"t afford them, according to the Department. A few years ago, the then Minister for Education, Noel Dempsey, was slammed by Fine Gael, the PDs and many more for his suggestion to reintroduce third-level fees. Fine Gael described it 'as a kite-flying exercise which has created another layer of uncertainly for third-level students and their families'. They also said any decision to reintroduce such fees would be a backward step and that the cost of attending third-level, in terms of maintenance, accommodation, travel and books is already difficult for many to reach. As for Mr Dempsey"s predecessor in Education over in the Labour camp, the then Minister Niamh Bhreathnach, who abolished the fees in 1996; she lost her seat in the "97 General Election. And her party lost half its Dail seats as well that year, while she lost out in her patch Dun Laoghaoire, a constituency well equated with hoards of students attending third-level education. One can only speculate why this happened. Maybe the real worry, then, for many politicians, if fees are implemented in the near future, is lots of students would be deterred from continuing their studies. In other words, this nation needs a well-educated workforce to provide the skilled labour pool major employers need if choosing to set up in Ireland, as well as to enhance excellence in Irish society. However, universities are suffering from lack of funding and there are difficulties in competing on the international stage (there has been a 30 per cent cut in funding over the last decade, according to Trinity and UCD chiefs). Labour Party Education Spokesman Ruairi Quinn has said his party would fight any plan by the Government to reintroduce fees and that there were other ways of raising funds for the sector. With all this confusion and divided opinion, the Government must be wondering if Education Minister Batt O"Keeffe has launched a hot potato with his announcement, especially in the run up to a by-election in Dublin South. It is not difficult to imagine how the reintroduction of fees is likely to go down in a constituency where many middle-class students attend college. Despite the pledge that such a move would only target rich kids and enhance the funding of our universities, the issue is more complex than that. So, rather than dismiss Minister O"Keeffe"s considerations, politicians, universities and the wider academic community should at least debate the issue to establish all its pros and cons. Being immune to revision in one"s viewpoint is not the way forward. This is not just a case of the possible return of third-level fees for the rich.