The statement by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in the Dail yesterday that only the very well-off will be asked to pay college fees represents a significant intervention in the debate on third-level funding.
He said it had never been the Government's intention to bring back fees for the middle classes or even some sectors of society who might be regarded as well-off. He signalled that the Government - in its bid to widen college access - was targeting only the very rich.
The clarification by the Taoiseach on this matter appears to contradict the implicit message from the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, over much of the past year. Essentially, this was that a broad swathe of people across the middle and upper classes of society could be asked to pay fees of several thousand euros per year in order to help level the playing field at third-level. In his original Irish Times interview on the issue last September, Mr Dempsey appeared to look forward to a time when the reintroduction of fees for the middle and upper classes would generate new funds to tackle access to third-level education. His plan was to divert these new resources to raise grants and other supports for disadvantaged students.
Taken at face value, Mr Ahern's statement in the Dail appears to rule out this radical model for the re-financing of disadvantaged schemes at third-level. Some will say that the Taoiseach is simply recognising political realities. His partners in government, the PDs, clearly have no stomach for the reintroduction of fees. There is also considerable unease on the Fianna Fáil backbenches. Already, nine deputies and some senators have voiced opposition to any such plan.
It is still too early to draw any definitive conclusions until the long-awaited report from the Department of Education and Science on third-level funding is published shortly. Mr Dempsey hinted yesterday that he was targeting - not just the super-rich - but also middle class people who take two or three holidays per year. This would suggest that he is holding fast to his original notion of a new funding landscape where those who can afford it will be asked to pay.
To be fair, Mr Dempsey has always stressed that the fees issue is but one element in a policy mix which could include a student loan scheme, increased student charges and a reformed grant scheme. The Minister seems determined to achieve radical change in some of these areas. The current higher education grant scheme which favours the self-employed and farmers at the expense of the ordinary PAYE worker is set to be re-fashioned. There is also much talk about an Australian-style loan scheme in which students repay fees on the basis of their annual income. Both of these initiatives would do much to create a more equitable and just third-level system. But, would they make it easier for a student from a disadvantaged area to gain access to college? The answer will be known only when the income thresholds are agreed by Cabinet.