Labour Youth Position Paper on Third Level Fees 22 June 2011
Third Level Fees: The History When Labour Party Minister Niamh Bhreathnach abolished tuition fees, a Student Services Charge of just £150 was introduced. This fee was introduced to cover the costs of registration, exams and student services. The Student Services Charge was increased 13 times from 1997 to 2010.
Graph 1: Increases in the Student Services Charge
In the last budget, the Student Services Charge became the Student Contribution Charge. Where the Student Services Charge legally had to be spent on services for students, no such restrictions apply to the Student Contribution Charge. In reality, many third level institutions had been misspending the Student Services Charge. This misspending was investigated by the Joint Committee on Education and Science in 2010.
Labour Youth’s Opposition to Third Level Fees Labour Youth has long lauded the Labour Party’s opposition to third level fees. The organisation has used the policy to recruit new members. Opposition to third level fees has been one of Labour Youth’s main campaigns every year. At every national anti-fees march and at most local marches, Labour Youth members have carried Labour Party banners and placards. This issue is one of critical importance to our members, and is a “red line” issue for our organisation.
Labour Youth believes that third level education should be free because third level education is the important investment a country can make in its future. It increases the potential of every citizen and it strengthens the economy. For a student living away from home, the average annual cost of going to college in 2010 was €10,035- not including the Student Services Charge- yet the highest rate Grant support available was €6,355, though the vast majority of students only qualified for the €3,250 or €1,300 rate in 2010.
2011 General Election It was on the basis that the Labour Party pledged not to increase third level fees or introduce a graduate tax or loan scheme that many members of Labour Youth asked other young people to vote for the Labour Party. During the general election, campaigns were held on various college campuses asking students to vote for the Labour Party as a means of preventing Fine Gael’s graduate tax and/or further increases in the Student Contribution Charge. This issue became a national campaign issue for the Party within a week of the general election. Education Spokesperson Ruairi Quinn signed the Union of Students in Ireland pledge to “campaign against any new form of third level fees including student loans, graduate taxes and any further increase in the Student Contribution.” Third level fees became one of only two “red line” issues for the Party during negotiations for Fine Gael to form a government.
Conclusion It is on the basis that Ruairi Quinn signed a pledge that a u-turn on third level fees is unacceptable to Labour Youth. That pledge was made with full knowledge of the economic situation facing the country. The Labour Party had been the most vocal party in opposing third level fees in fourteen years of opposition. This principled opposition will be reduced to mere cynical opportunism if the Labour Party is to abandon its long-standing policy within months of getting into government. Therefore, Labour Youth will oppose any increases in the Student Contribution Charge and/or any move to a loan scheme or graduate tax system. We call on Labour Party TDs, Senators, other elected representatives and Party members to stand with us in protecting students and protecting third level education.