Return to fees opposed on both sides of the capital

Almost 88% of people questioned remain opposed to any kind of reintroduction of third level fees

Jennifer Bray

CLOCKWISE?FROM?TOP LEFT:?Jane Devine, Aoife Lydon, Thomas Duggan and Mick Power

Batt O'Keeffe's decision to put third level fees back on the political agenda has been greeted with a mixed response. Rallying behind O'Keeffe are IBEC, the PDs only minister, Mary Harney, and all of Ireland's university heads. Staunchly opposed are Ireland's student movement, parents, trade unionists, Fine Gael and the Labour Party amongst others. However, when the Sunday Tribune took to Dublin's Dorset Street and Dundrum areas, of those questioned almost all were opposed to the idea of any kind of reintroduction of third level fees.

"I think it's wrong to even think of imposing any extra fees on students simply because they are starting out in life, and it really isn't feasible to try to hinder them in this regard," says Samuel Cunningham on Dorset Street. "They need to be helped out, not the opposite."

Secondary school second year student Aoife Lydon, while opposed to fees, believes some form of payment may increase the quality of certain courses. "I do hope to go to college in the future. I believe that if they were to be re-introduced it might have a generally positive effect on courses themselves. If you pay for a course, you have every right to expect that course to be of top quality. I would think that the right amount to pay for a college course would be around €2,000. Even still, I would be fundamentally against any kind of reintroduction of fees.

Paula Gallagher presents another angle to the debate in that while she hopes to send her children to college, she too will be planning on attending college in the near future and believes both herself and her children would be hindered by any reintroduction of fees. "I know they say if they bring it in, it'll be only for the millionaires of this country – but I don't believe it, eventually it would be extended across the board."

However, Thomas Duggan remains adamant that students are losing the serious work ethos of attending college and should pay something, as they have more money than ever before. "It was the case that a few years ago, you wouldn't be able to serve students in a pub, and you wouldn't see them too often. Now it seems to me that you can see students out on Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night and every night after. It would appear that students have more money than ever before to the point of having too much money."

It will be difficult to define those who can afford to pay

Across the city in Dundrum, mother of three Brenda Russell has just put one daughter through college. "It was a tough struggle. How could I be for fees after going through that? The cost of putting her through was extremely high, and there's already a fee – the registration fee which can reach €1,000. Any talk of any kind of fees for anyone is the wrong way about finding the funding."

"With the government, there's always a hidden agenda. So I can't believe that my 13 year old daughter who has aspirations to go to college won't be affected in any way. It will be more difficult than is thought to define those who can afford and can't afford to pay," says Tommy Hogan.

Graduate Mick Power has similar mistrust of the government and O'Keeffe. "The government did say it was off the agenda, and now it's back on, so how can we trust them not to go back on saying it's only for the super wealthy. If they go back on their word once, they will again. I'm against any fees being back on the agenda."

While against fees also, secondary school student Jane Devine believes that the rich should pay, but remains opposed to any other form of fees, believing the abolition brought about a bigger chance for more people to get into college. "I'd be disappointed to see them return in any shape."

August 17, 2008