Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My understanding of section 10 is that it will lower the tax relief available for third level fees on a cumulative level over the next number of years. This would be a retrograde step. I would be interested to know how much money the Exchequer will derive from this measure. This measure must be viewed in the context of what is happening for third level students or prospective third level students and their parents and what is happening for the colleges. We know that education fees are rising. We also know that disposable income of students or their parents is falling and that third level funding from the Government is falling dramatically. Between 2008 and 2015 there will be approximately a 50% cut in higher education funding per student in Ireland.

This measure on its own might be a somewhat marginal issue but it is part of a trend that is making college unaffordable to a certain number of people. Similarly there is no benefit to universities from this. I am on record as saying that higher university fees may be a necessary evil but only in so far as the money was ring-fenced for the education of those students. In this case the universities and colleges would not get any of the money, it would go straight to back to the Exchequer. On that basis I do not believe that making college more expensive is a sensible thing to do.

I have a few specific questions. Can the Minister give an estimate of the expected tax take for the various years covered in the legislation?

Will any of that go back or be ring-fenced for education of the students? Can the Minister provide the committee with an impact analysis of the number of students it is estimated will not be able to avail of higher education because of the increased cost due to this section?