Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If education was paid for through the tax system, their children would most definitely be able to access third level education because their education would be free, paid by the tax that they had paid to the State. I have a couple of questions.

I say, "Well done," to Ms Hayes-Nally. She highlights whether introducing income contingent loans to young people is even morally permissible and the fears that they feel. One area we have not looked at was raised only last week with me by a severely disabled young person who wanted to go on to third level education. That person told me of being faced with high cost-of-living needs. I am wondering have we taken into account those who already face a high cost merely to live, survive and be alive, and the thought of such students alone added onto that is not something that they are willing to risk. We need to look at those cohorts. I am guilty of always focusing only on the working class and the disadvantaged, but not taking into account the needs of other marginalised groups that are not spoken about as much, and maybe we need to look at that.

I have a couple of questions for Ms Hoey. How has the current system of fees affected students? Ms Hoey also mentioned the idea of access going beyond merely reaching the key target groups outlined by the national access plan. Could she elaborate on how each model affects them, based on her research? I never thought about it. I suppose the Trinity access programme looks at access right through to the end of one's degree and onwards. It was merely something that interested me.

Could Ms Hoey outline the long-term effects of an income contingent loan scheme on future adult milestones, such as a mortgage, being able to a car and going on a holiday? If one exceeds the threshold to pay an income contingent loan by, for example, €100, and one must pay that loan, what impact will that have on the milestones?

Mr. McNulty might go into the pitfalls of the Australian model. My fear around loans is that because there is not a technical report to go with this report to state how it all will work and be paid, at some stage are we leaving the door open for the State to step out, as it has done in other countries. Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness stated earlier that we are not letting the State off the hook. It might appear right now that we are not letting the State off the hook but we definitely might be leaving the door ajar for it to step out later on and for the area to become fully privatised. If anyone can speak to that, I would appreciate it.