Third-level institutions have done "enormously well" and are well looked after, the Taoiseach has insisted as students marched to the Dáil yesterday to protest at cutbacks in allocations and facilities.
Mr Ahern rejected claims by the Fine Gael leader, Mr Kenny, that there were serious cutbacks in facilities for universities.
"We provide top-class third-level education at a low cost, and the changes made over previous years make the system very attractive for students," he said.
The Taoiseach said that third-level sector spending was €1.4 billion.
"Nearly every third-level institute was a construction site in recent years, with new facilities, libraries, laboratories and auditoriums being put up."
An additional €25 million had been put into research and development, he added,
But Mr Kenny said the Government was increasing registration charges from €80 to €750 and cutting back capital grants by 47 per cent for institutes of technology and 45 per cent for universities.
Mr Ahern replied that the Government had set up Science Foundation Ireland and turned it into into a dynamic body. The initiative there was worth €0.5 billion and the research programme another €0.5 billion.