“Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe has been accused of ‘playing politics’ with third-level students in relation to the reintroduction of third-level fees. The criticism comes after he confirmed that a decision on the measure is now unlikely to be made until after the local and European elections in June. Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes claimed there has been a ‘co-ordinated spinning operation’ in place since before Easter in relation to O’Keeffe’s proposals. ‘I suspect the real reason for this is to do with politics. Middle Ireland has been absolutely lambasted in the budget’, he said. ‘I suspect that other Fianna Fáil politicians decided to row him in a bit until after the locals …’” (more)
[John Downes, Tribune, 26 April]