Madam, - Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe's decision to raise the issue of third-level funding is welcome. It is only right that we discuss what is best for our universities, and for our society as a whole.
The university presidents have also welcomed his actions, hoping that they may soon have more funding for their own institutions. Since 1998, third-level funding has declined by 30 per cent in real terms, under Fianna Fáil's control of the national finances.
But the debate on reintroducing fees misses the point and ignores the financial neglect of education by this Government. Any reintroduction of fees will result in a commensurate fall in Exchequer funding to the third level sector. Fees are not a panacea for third-level spending deficits. On the contrary, they are a cutback, wrapped up in the guise of making our universities better institutions.
Labour wants to make our universities world class. The obvious answer to the third-level funding crisis is increased Exchequer funding. As last week showed, Batt O'Keeffe has realised that fees are not some simple solution to the issue of funding. Rather than the half-a-billion estimated by his golfing partner, fees for those earning over €120,000 will raise a paltry €35 million. Clearly, dental economics are not that close to the brain.
Obviously, for the Minister and his Government, the only thing worse than reintroducing university fees is increasing the overall level of income taxation for those on high incomes, for fear of really agitating the rich.
Having embraced the concept of reintroducing fees and initially agreeing with the idea of a threshold which would affect only the highest earners, the university presidents have learnt that €35 million is unlikely to solve their needs for increased funding. Hence we see their support for the "Australian" model of loans, which presumably will apply to those earning far less than €120,000.
Are they and the Minister aware that the new Australian Labor government has ordered a review of this much criticised system, with a view to scrapping it? Do they know that there is close to Aus $15 billion worth of unpaid fees outstanding, as students are more than happy to move country and get a de factofree education?
Surely the leaders of our third-level sector should have conducted robust research and produced well-tested financial models. The advice from the carpentry instructor is relevant here: Measure twice, cut once! How can we take them seriously when the very solution they propose is being challenged in its own backyard?
I suggest that they and the Minister go back to the drawing-board and come to the obvious solution: increased funding from general taxation, not sly cutbacks or creative accounting. - Yours, etc,
RUAIRI QUINN TD, Labour Party Spokesperson for Education and Science, Leinster House, Dublin 2.