University funding and rankings

Sir, – I welcome the letter from my distinguished colleague, Frank Bannister (October 15th). When a great university such as UCD declines to below 200 in the World Rankings we must say that enough is enough. Nor can we accept spin about Trinity itself in the "prestigious" top 150.

The education of our undergraduates, in large part by inexperienced postgraduates, is a long-continuing scandal.

The Labour Party’s abolition of third-level fees in 1995 was just another bonus for the sons and daughters of bankers. It did little or nothing for the many brilliant Irish children from working-class backgrounds without access to our great universities. We must restore fees for those middle-class and upwardly mobile families able to afford them and add scholarships for those of poor backgrounds unable to face the prospect of adding future debt to present deprivation. – Yours, etc,

Dr GERALD

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MORGAN, FTCD

Dublin 2