Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

That was the best news I heard all day.

On the issue of higher education, the new registration fees are effectively fees by the back door. This is the most inequitable unfair stealth tax ever imposed on the PAYE sector. I make no apology for my party's support with the Labour Party for abolishing fees in 1996. We did it for one reason. Whatever about arguments on access, and there is evidence to show more could be done there, we did it to help the PAYE sector who were screwed as the self-employed could cook their books to get the best benefit they could from the system and the wealthy could get support through a covenant.

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