Seanad debates

Wednesday, 21 May 2003

Rural Development Policy: Statements (Resumed). - Third Level Fees: Motion.

 

The Minister has talked about a loan scheme. The acid test of the ineffectiveness of a loan scheme is to be seen in Britain. Students who had accrued substantial debts were forced to declare themselves bankrupt in order to avoid repaying loans for up to ten years. That is a huge debt to carry when starting out on a first job and dealing with all their other commitments. A test case last week found that the British Ministry of Education could not pursue them for the money. I hope the Minister will not tinker with the idea of loans, whether based on the Australian or the British model. The Department of Education and Science cannot seem to see that the policy has failed in Britain. If this system is adopted we will find to our cost that it will be a failure here as well. I ask the Minister not to entertain that idea.

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