John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

Perhaps they will be funding the Fianna Fáil Party into the future.

This day last year I finished my last exam in Waterford Institute of Technology after spending four years there with free fees. My sister is currently attending the same college. Previous speakers have stated that many families have several children attending third level institutions at any time. It is a great burden to all families to have more than one member attending college. The possible reintroduction of third level fees is now hanging over these families.

Under the current Government we saw a 69% increase in college registration fees at the start of last year. We are now facing the start of the leaving certificate exams. It is a time of great apprehension and anxiety for the students who are facing those exams. As the Leader of the House correctly pointed out, we are no clearer about the Government's proposals on the reintroduction of third level fees.

A suggested solution to this problem is some sort of loan system. This is something to which I am absolutely opposed. Senator Kate Walsh was right when she said that people who qualify from colleges pay for their education through the taxation system. That is the way it should be done. When people leave college they face starting families and buying houses. This is the nature of their age group. They have huge expenses they have never had before. Now the Government is suggesting, or so we are led to believe, that they will have to repay a loan for their college tuition.

If the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrat Senators had any backbone, they would have no problem supporting this simple, one line Fine Gael motion, "That Seanad Éireann is opposed to the reintroduction of third level tuition fees." It is a simple, basic motion. We have heard Fianna Fáil Senators say they are opposed to the reintroduction of fees. If they are, let them put their vote where their mouth is.