Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has described UCC’s decision to charge students a €65 graduation attendance fee as the wrong way to fund our third level education system.

At a protest on the UCC campus organised by UCC Young Fine Gael against the introduction of the new fee, Deputy Clune said: ‘UCC’s decision to introduce a €65 graduation attendance fee is a mistake. The introduction of stealth charges such as this graduation attendance fee or the use of the registration charge as a third level fee by another name is no way to fund our third level system’.

UCC and the other third level instructions have been left with a total lack of Government leadership on this issue. The Fianna Fáil/Green Government has completely failed to tackle the issue of how third level education in Ireland will be funded. First they wanted to introduce third level fees without any concern for the problems it would cause for students and their parents. Then to make a deal to stay in power together they dropped this plan and just left the problem to the individual colleges to solve.

Just last month the Government launched the Innovation Taskforce Report. Most of its recommendations depend on Ireland developing a world class third level education system. This will not be achieved under a Government which fails to understand that the funding problem facing our third level institutions must be tackled in a fair and effective way.

Just over a year ago Fine Gael Education Spokesman Brian Hayes TD launched our plan to reform Higher Level Education in our Third Way policy. It recommends abolishing the registration charge, reforming the way our third level education system operates and introducing a new funding system that is free for students and parents at the point of entry and funded by a graduate contribution system that would recover 30% of the education cost. This system would provide the students, their parents and third level institutions the stability and fairness currently lacking.