Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

May I make a comment on that before the other speakers come in on the broader questions? We are completely in agreement - nobody should ever have to make a choice between education and their livelihood. Any changes should be on the basis that those who demonstrably can afford to pay for the maintenance of their children in college should be asked to do so. It is just a question of finding the mechanism. I appreciate the IFA's point of view on the matter. We all want the first person in generations of a family to have the opportunity to go to university. But if that person is drawing from the same €300 million as others, bearing in mind all the other strains on the budget, we need to find a mechanism. It is not an issue solely for the IFA; it is also an issue for self-employed people. I went to college with people who came from the same area of Dublin as I did. They got college grants that I did not get because I came from a family with a PAYE worker. It is unfairly suggested that it is an IFA or farming issue. We need to find a mechanism whereby those with the ability to pay do so, but I accept Mr. Bryan's comments.