POLITICAL REACTION: Opposition parties responded to the climbdown on fees by the Minister for Eduction, Mr Dempsey, by questioning the role of the Taoiseach in the affair, writes Arthur Beesley
As a PD spokesman said the party was pleased with the outcome of the compromise agreed on Saturday, Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens all claimed Mr Ahern had shown no leadership in the debate.
The PDs, who opposed Mr Dempsey's plans to reintroduce fees, said that the initiative agreed at the weekend would deliver greater access to education "to those who need it most".
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said the controversy should never have arisen, but welcomed the Government's promise of additional money to help improve access to third level education.
"The Taoiseach's handling of this matter within Government leaves a lot to be desired," Mr Kenny said.
"I hope that the removal of the threat on third level fees will ease the concerns of students about to sit their Leaving Certificate examinations."
Mr Kenny added: "The principle of free education for all is absolutely central to our continued prosperity and future and should be recognised as such."
His party's enterprise spokesman, Mr Phil Hogan, however criticised the decision to allocate funds from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The measure gave the impression of the Government "scrabbling around under the mattress for left-over pennies in the hope of balancing its books," said Mr Hogan.
The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said Mr Ahern had displayed a "total absence" of political leadership in the debate on fees.
While welcoming the initiative on disadvantage, Mr Rabbitte said: "In the worst traditions of Bertie Ahern, he gave the impression of backing both sides until the public anger at this proposal grew to a level that even he could not ignore."
He added: "This whole controversy has been badly handled by the Government. €42 million has emerged as the price of keeping Noel Dempsey in cabinet, although Ireland must be the only country where a minister could fail to carry such a major issue and remain in cabinet."
Mr Rabbitte said the review of third level funding "was never about improving access".
"The original idea was floated by Minister Dempsey last autumn when the Government was engaged in its massive programme of post-election cutbacks and it was clearly designed as a revenue-saving measure."
He added: "Given that the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has repeatedly made it clear that no additional money will be made available for education, I hope that Minister Dempsey's package to address disadvantage at third level will not be funded by raiding other areas of the education budget."
In his press conference yesterday, Mr Dempsey said that he had received a guarantee that the €42 million annual package would be in addition to his department's normal budget.
Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent was also critical of the Taoiseach, stating that he had allowed the PDs to dictate the agenda.
"This was a panicked face-saving exercise for the Government and Minister Dempsey," Mr Sargent said.
"Holding a press conference on a Sunday to announce this new education package highlights the Government's sense of panic over the controversy and the sorry mess the coalition found itself in."
Mr Sargent said the €42 million package was to be "welcomed at first glance provided other ways of introducing fees are resisted".
"The announcement that the Minister for Education's face is being saved with this 'new' €42 million package, asks serious questions as to what public expenditure controls now exist within Government," he added.