Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

The House will note that the current Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party were both Democratic Left Ministers at that time and they were involved in all major policy decisions within the party – Deputy Rabbitte sat at the Cabinet table with his Leader. We have heard no explanation from the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party for the complete and total reversal of policy – they are now denouncing even the examination of changes to a policy they once felt was regressive and against the interests of the disadvantaged. They have been speaking out a good deal lately on supposed policy U-turns, but this is one that they will not say anything about.

At the time of the introduction of non-means tested fees relief it was announced by the then Minister that a measure which could, by definition, provide no direct benefit to poorer groups was going to throw open the gates of third level education.