Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The Minister gave a commitment and a strong pledge to the Union of Students in Ireland and the student body. He said that if he was in government, he would reverse the €500 increase in the student service charge and the €200 charge for post-leaving certificate courses, both of which were introduced by the previous Government. A year ago, the Tánaiste gave a commitment to the effect that the Labour Party was opposed to the introduction of third level fees by the front or back doors. Can the Minister categorically assure us that he will honour the commitment and the pledge he gave to the Irish electorate on 21 February 2011, in the full knowledge of the fiscal position of the Government of the time? I refer specifically to the written pledge he gave to the Union of Students in Ireland.

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