Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I am a little bit younger that the Deputy, I do remember the policy work of former Minister Niamh Bhreathnach, someone I hold in high regard. If I were to be totally honest, and this is an objective statement, the fees were reduced but the core funding piece was not addressed. What we are trying to do, and we have been working on this on a cross-party basis, is to try to do both.

Education is a public good. Cost should never be a barrier to anybody attending education and I believe cost is a barrier today. If a person has two children going to college at the same time, doing a four-year degree, the registration fees for them is €24,000. That is a lot of money. I do not represent many people who have €24,000 down the back of the couch. It means people have to go to credit unions. They have to put off doing other things to find that money. The cost must be reduced. It is one of the few measures that was hiked at a time of austerity that has not been addressed and I am determined to reduce it.

Ideologically, where I would love to get in relation to higher education, I believe it is a public good and third level education is a natural extension of the education system. The Government commitment is to increase student grants and gradually reduce the registration fee over a number of budgets.

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