David Norris (Independent)

I congratulate my colleague, Senator Pearse Doherty, who I understand has won his action and that this will precipitate a by-election. I hope it also precipitates a general election which this country needs.

I agree with Senator Mooney that there will be 15,000 to 20,000 young people outside the gates of the House today and I congratulate them on their organisation. I believe in a free universally accessible education system just as I believe in a free universally accessible health system. However, my heart goes out to the young people I heard on radio this morning who are motivated to go to university but whose parents had never been and are not well paid. Now they realise they will not get there. I feel badly for them because they will now be caught in a pincer movement because they will be deprived of a third level education at a time when the jobs market is contracting.

There is much dishonesty in this House. Free fees is an ugly, stupid phrase and it is an oxymoron. It was a cruel and cynical political deception and it never existed. One either pays fees or one gets a free education. One cannot have it both ways. That might be an unpalatable truth but I have had regular meetings over the past five to ten years with student leaders and I have told them this because I knew where the real battle was. The real battle will be to concentrate resources on those young people like the one's I heard on radio this morning.

Currently, it costs €1,500 to register. Is that a fee or not? It is certainly paid and it will go up to €3,000. The Green Party has moderated its position and apparently will accept €2,500. I met the students in UCD where it costs €4,500 for student accommodation for those coming from the country. They must also pay for subsistence and books. One is then very quickly reaching €12,000 or €15,000. How will people with one parent working or parents out of work be able to pay?

I share the concern of others about our smart economy and educated young people. I spoke at the Institute of European Affairs last week. There was a young woman there who was in a class of 200 two years which is down to 12 this year. That is what is happening to our education system.