“Education minister Batt O’Keeffe is finalising a number of ‘outstanding details’ before presenting his preferred structure for the reintroduction of third-level fees to cabinet. A spokesman for the minister said he would bring his report on student contribution to cabinet ‘very shortly’. Sources believe it will be completed by the end of this week. However, no date has been formally set for the publication of the report until the fine-tuning is completed. Department of Education officials are preparing a report of various fees structures and O’Keeffe will indicate to his fellow ministers his preferred option and ask for them to support it. A spokesman for the minister said the final recommendation would be based on ‘the four key principles of equity, access, participation and affordability’ …” (more)
[Martha Kearns, Sunday Business Post, 29 March]