Dáil debates
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Financial Resolutions 2012: Financial Resolution No. 13: General (Resumed)
1:00 pm
Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
The Government may have paused the cuts, but it chooses to take money from the disabled. This is evidence of how far it has sunk and the Labour Party has strayed from its socialist and James Connolly roots.
The cuts to education amount to €316 million. The Taoiseach was waving bits of paper about, but this document tells us we need to know everything about the Government's attitude towards education. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, gave an unqualified commitment to campaign against any new third level fees, if elected, including student fees, graduate taxes and a further increase in the student contribution. They stated: "We pledge to use our position in Dáil Éireann to protect the Higher Education Maintenance Grant from any and all cuts." I will not read it all, as the pledge is available to everyone.
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