Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

It is not my intention to put further financial barriers on access to higher education, particularly for those groups that can least afford it and from families which, historically, did not go to third level education. The strategic objective initiated by the previous Government, which the Labour Party in Opposition shared and will now implement in Government, is to get participation rates to over 70% because that is the way forward for the economy.

This is a very unequal society. The Deputy and I share that view. However, brains and talent are equally distributed across the population and I want to ensure that those brains and talent which previously could not get into third level education because of financial and family backgrounds are liberated and can participate. I will do everything I possibly can to ensure that happens.

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