MINISTER FOR Education Batt O’Keeffe is expected to delay making a decision on the introduction of college fees until after the local and European elections in June. The Minister will circulate an options paper to his Cabinet colleagues on student charges within the next fortnight.
But he acknowledged last night that it could be several more weeks before the issue returns to Cabinet with a final recommendation from him.
A “study now, pay later’’ scheme is expected to form the central element in Mr O’Keeffe’s plan. Students from middle and higher-income families would be liable to repay the cost of their fees after graduation.
It is expected fees will be pitched at about €5,000 for general arts and business degrees, with higher charges for courses that are more expensive to run like medicine and architecture. Students would repay the cost of their tuition after graduation.
Those on low incomes would be exempt from any new charges. It is also thought the Minister will back the return of upfront fees for very high earners.
This fees regime could run in parallel with the loan system for other students, thus leaving pupils from high-income families facing the prospect of making upfront and delayed payments. The Minister has consistently said high earners should be liable for fees.
He also hinted the 40,000 students due to enter college for the first time this autumn would be liable for the new charges – though the new regime will not be introduced until September 2010.
Yesterday, he said: “I don’t want to put an additional burden on people who can ill afford it. That will be my primary objective. There are different mechanisms out there that may not have the same level of pain.’’
The Minister said the lengthy consultation period with his Cabinet colleagues was necessary because the proposals under discussion represented a fundamental change of policy. There was no question, he said, of fees or any other new charges being imposed on those already at third level. But he said there was no legal difficulty in making students entering college this year liable for the new charges as these payments had been well signalled in advance.
For the Government, a loan scheme that puts the onus on students to pay for their college education is much easier than a return to the old fees regime where parents are liable. Ministers will be reluctant to impose additional charges on families after last week’s Budget increased taxes.
