IAN LINDSAY,
Sir, - Recent reports suggest that Fianna Fáil will re-introduce third-level college fees on the premise that abolishing fees has not led to more people from disadvantaged backgrounds going to college. This is pure "spin-doctoring". People from poor backgrounds have always had their fees paid anyway, and have been able to claim subsistence grants as well, so when college fees were abolished several years ago it made no difference to them. Logically, then, it is subsistence grants that should be abolished, since according to Fianna Fáil they have not encouraged lower income students to attend college.
The truth, however, is that this is purely a way to cut Government expenditure and it is easier to target the middle-class PAYE families who already pay the largest chunk of income tax and generally receive very little Government help for anything. Fianna Fáil's traditional political base has been among small farmers who have been the largest recipients of third-level grants. They also pay the least income tax. The party probably reckons that such a policy change will not hurt it politically.
This would be a mistake. In the last election Fianna Fáil was put into power with the help of large numbers of middle-class voters, especially in Dublin, who hoped that the relative prosperity and low tax levels of the last few years would continue. Those same voters should be aware that college fees will cost them at least €2,000 per child for most college courses. So if you have three children that you hope will go to college, you will have to find at least €20,000 to fund them over an average three-year college course. That is the equivalent to one hell of a tax increase.
I for one will not vote for Fianna Fáil in the next election if this policy goes ahead. I'm now sorry I did so in the last one. - Yours, etc.
IAN LINDSAY,
Grangewood,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.