3rd Level Fees
The Government's third-level fees proposals have been "family proofed" to ensure less well-off parents who cannot afford to pay will not be affected, Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe announced yesterday.
A report on the various fees options will be circulated to ministers next week for their "observations" before the Cabinet meets in July or September to make a final decision. Cabinet meetings are not held in the month of August.
Mr O'Keeffe said it will not be the financial burden people might be expecting -- if the Government adopts his proposals in their current form.
"I think people will be pleasantly surprised if the Government does adopt the system that I proposed," he said.
But the minister refused to be drawn on whether he now favoured the option of up-front tuition fees or a loan system where graduates pay fees once they enter the workforce.
"There was a supplementary Budget and that obviously impacted on the quality of life and standard of life for people. I always said I wanted to family proof the proposals I was bringing," Mr O'Keeffe added.
Source: Independent
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