Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Twenty years ago I qualified as a doctor and my college fee was €2,000 which is the equivalent to €7,000 now. There should be some acknowledgement of the circumstances that the country finds itself in. It is under those circumstances that we are trying to make it as attainable as possible for people to attend college. During the good times the previous Government abolished university fees. I know that Deputy Boyd Barrett benefited from a good education. The aim of the Government is to ensure that as many people as possible can continue to get a good education and that it is available as much as possible to people who are least able to afford it. That was instilled in our education policy here over the past number of years and is something that should be acknowledged.