Seanad debates

Wednesday, 21 May 2003

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

 

10:30 am

Kate Walsh (Progressive Democrats)

As a proud member of the Progressive Democrats, I hope I do not disappoint my friend, Senator Bannon, on the Opposition benches. Education is the key to our future opportunities as a society and as individuals. For this reason, the Progressive Democrats support free primary, secondary and third level education and seek to ensure each is well funded, effective and open to all. To achieve these objectives we need policies which are well thought out and a broad resource base to fund them. Targeted initiatives are required to improve each level of education. In no area should we attempt to achieve these objectives by tinkering with thresholds for taxes, fees and charges for smaller groups. Any change in free secondary education since the 1960s would have been a backward step and any change in third level fees now would be the same.

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