Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Like in many other areas, there is a grey area here. Anyone who has dealt with social welfare issues will be aware of those people who because they are a little above the threshold do not qualify for exemption. These are the people who will be heavily affected by this charge. I accept what the Minister of State said in regard to people on lower incomes. However, it is the people in the grey area who will lose out. While I accept the Government's hands may be tied on this matter, this charge is a contradiction in terms of what it is trying to do in the educational sector. Those who will not qualify for exemption have been already hit in so many other ways. While they will want to upskill and get a job, they will not be able to afford this charge and will not qualify for exemption. I do not know how the system could be changed to accommodate these people. The people required to pay this €200 per annum charge are the same people who have been hit in so many other ways.

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