The Taoiseach has indicated that those on lower and middle-income salaries will be exempt from paying third-level fees under any proposals brought to the Cabinet by the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey.
Mr Ahern was replying to repeated demands from the Fine Gael and Labour leaders to say if the Government intended reintroducing fees.
"As I stated last week, the parties in opposition know well that whatever decision comes out of this, it is highly unlikely that there will be large members of the lower-middle and middle class, and for that matter even people with relatively good salaries, paying anything," the Taoiseach said.
Mr Ahern said that "the vast majority of people, regardless of what the Minister brings forward, people on normal incomes will not be affected one way or another".
Later, on the Order of Business, Mr Ahern did not reply when the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, asked if there would be any Cabinet resignations because of the issue.
Mr Ahern said that no decision had been taken to reintroduce fees.
"The review which the Minister has been undertaking into access to third-level education, and funding, which is what the review is about, is almost completed," he added.
"The Minister will bring the matter before the Government very shortly and then the Government will discuss it."
Mr Ahern said that last year the Department spent €380 million on student support at third level. Free third-level fees cost €240 million last year, and the balance was spent on maintenance grants for qualifying students, he added.
"The Minister for Education asked the Department to undertake a full review of this expenditure programme to assess its effectiveness," Mr Ahern said.
He was looking at public spending, he added. "The abolition of tuition fees did not achieve the stated aim: assisting those from the lower socio-economic background."
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, claimed that Fianna Fáil was the only party in the House supporting the reintroduction of third-level fees.
"Leaked reports from sources indicate that these fees might be of the order of €8,000 per student. So the situation is that the Taoiseach has given backing to the Fianna Fáil Minister for Education on this.
"One Minister of State supports fees for those earning over €75,000. We have the parents of 50,000 students doing their Leaving Certificate in the next few weeks with a cloud of uncertainty hanging over them as to whether or not this is going to happen and if they will have access to third-level education."
In the middle of an "unseemly row", it was being said that the Government parties had not even discussed the matter and that no discussion had taken place at Cabinet.
The Government parties were fighting publicly on television programmes. "The time has come to put an end to this matter," he added.
Mr Rabbitte urged the Taoiseach to demonstrate some leadership for the first time in his life. "Can you put an end to the unseemly public debate and squabbling between Ministers in Government and within your own party ?" he asked.
He added: "I am surprised that if Minister Dempsey could not face down Jackie Healy-Rae in the last Dáil, that he thinks he can face down \ McDowell in this one.
"One thing is clear: either Minister Dempsey or Minister McDowell is going to come out of this with zero credibility. It is like the situation this time last year, when you could not see the Woods for the JCBs. Both have now vanished."
Mr Ahern said he wished the House was as concerned about those doing their Leaving Certificate this year and under present arrangements and who had no opportunity to gain access to third-level education.
Pressed further by Mr Rabbitte, he said it was regrettable that members of the House had no interest in "even examining the sad plight of people in socially disadvantaged areas with no opportunity of getting into the education system". The changes made in 1996 did nothing to improve their lot, said Mr Ahern.
