“Almost 40,000 students will be unable to continue in higher education if the Government moves to bring back fees, student leaders warned yesterday. The president of the Union of Students in Ireland, Shane Kelly, said the latest proposals by Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe would have devastating consequences for the future of the country. Mr Kelly said the return of fees will decrease the numbers of students able to access third-level education and force thousands of students out of higher education and on to the social welfare queues. Labour’s Ruairí Quinn said he would fight tooth and nail to oppose any proposals on fees. He accused Fianna Fáil of cynically taking advantage of the adverse situation in our public finances to bring back fees …” (more)
[Sean Flynn, Irish Times, 21 March]