Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The Minister made the pledge to which I refer on 21 February last, when the fiscal position of this country was well known. This country's expenditure and income targets had been laid down in the budget that was delivered in this House in early December 2010. All Government reports suggest those targets will be met this year. The fiscal position has not changed. It has improved somewhat, thankfully, since the Minister and his party leader - the Tánaiste, Deputy Gilmore - made a solemn commitment to students and subsequently won the support of a substantial percentage of this country's student population. I suggest that many parents of students voted for them on that basis as well.

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