David Norris (Independent)

I find myself in the highly unusual position of disagreeing with my distinguished colleague Senator Joe O'Toole on virtually everything he said. I disagree first on the issue of fees. I have always objected to the phrase "free fees". It is an ugly phrase and a complete oxymoron. It is nonsense and means nothing. There is no such thing as free fees because someone somewhere is paying. It is inappropriate that the poorest in society, old age pensioners and so on, should have some of their tax money distrained to pay for fees. That is wrong. I have said this to the student leaders and said it publicly in Trinity College. I know saying this will not get votes for me, but I believe in telling what I see to be the truth even though people may not like what I say.

The real battle is elsewhere. It is taking place as we speak between the Department of Finance and the Department of Education and Science. We should be fighting to ensure that moneys brought in by a change in the regime will be ringfenced for third level education. It must not go into the general Exchequer.