Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also call for a debate on the Cassells report. Although only three options are laid out, we need to have a discussion. The future of education is one of the most significant things we will discuss over the next few years. We need to talk about investing in our future, our young people and in lifelong learning. The narrative yesterday was heavily based on talk of income-contingent loans. I was saddened by that because when one looks at the figures attached to free education and loans, there is only a 0.2% difference in GDP over the course of around 15 years to fund either one, so both come with a huge cost, yet people seem to be fearful of the idea of free education.

On free education, people were saying yesterday on different media outlets that it has failed, as there was no influx of people from minority or working class backgrounds entering education just because free fees existed. However, it was not the idea of free fees that failed, but us who failed to address the years of oppression and inequality that existed in those minority groups and that acted as a barrier to them even realising that free fees existed or that college existed for them.

I fully back the idea of free education. I know what it has given me. If it had been necessary for me to take out an income-contingent loan or if I had to pay for my education, I would not be in the position I am in. Education is much more than filling a skills gap or creating new technologies. It is about opportunity, choice, freedom, and our future. Being in education, as a result of free education, my children will now go on to education. That changes the trend for the generations that come behind us.

Leading up to the general election, every party in this House, bar Fine Gael, spoke about their stance on fees.Every party committed to not supporting an increase in fees. I would like to remind those who supported that policy that if we were ever to advocate for the third option, it would involve fees at a later date - there is no point trying to call it anything else. It is really important for us to have this debate before the summer recess.

College courses will resume in September and October. It is a shame that the report does not address their financial situation. As somebody who has sat on the finance board of Trinity College for the past year, I know the majority of colleges are working under a deficit, bar UCD which has generated significant income from postgraduate courses. Perhaps it is time for the university sector not to be afraid to acknowledge the deficits that exist. They have not done so to date because their rankings are falling and they do not want to put off international students. They are afraid to say how bad things are in the sector. I ask the Leader to consider having a debate on the matter before the summer recess.