Seanad report: In a trenchant defence of his third-level fees proposal, the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, said that those who advocated both more funding for college education and lower taxes were being disingenuous, writes Jimmy Walsh.
He was speaking against a motion calling on the House to oppose the plan.
A Government amendment, noting the Programme for Government commitments to increase the number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in third-level, was passed by 29 votes to 23.
Mr Ulick Burke (FG) accused Mr Dempsey of paying lip service to the disadvantaged on the third-level issue.
He said that if the Minister was serious about greater access for the disadvantaged to third level, why had he allowed his colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, to withdraw the Back to Education Allowance for many of the 6,000 people involved?
"The present proposed decision of the Minister is merely a revenue-raising measure and has nothing to do with equity or targeting help to the disadvantaged," he said.
Describing the motion as an exercise in "naked political opportunism", Mr Liam Fitzgerald (FF) said the sentiments expressed and the tactics employed by the Opposition did no service to education.
He condemned an approach that focused on an issue not yet on the Cabinet table, let alone before the Oireachtas. The "free fees" initiative had given higher-income groups the advantage. It had facilitated those who wanted to buy their way to further educational advantage.
Mr Joe O'Toole (Ind) said the Minister's proposal was not driven by equity. "I can assure you this will make people suicidal".
Mr John Dardis (PD), deputy Government leader in the House, said his party's experience of Coalition since 1997 had been positive.
"We have played a positive and constructive role in two successive administrations. We have remained true to our principles while engaging in reasonable compromise for the common good," he said.