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THE DOOR TO the introduction of student fees was left open this week after the government opposed a motion against third level student loans.
The Labour motion raised in the Seanad called on the government to affirm its commitment to providing equality of access to education and to reject any move to implement an income contingent loan scheme to fund third level education.
While some have branded it ironic that the Labour Party proposed such a motion, seeing as it was accused of u-turning on its 2011 pre-election promises not to increase tuition fees for third-level colleges, the party said the idea of student loans should be taken “off the table”.
“College fees should not rise, they should go,” said Labour Party Senator, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, who proposed the motion this week, which sparked of a social media campaign under #NoToLoans.
Final year student, Cian Lalor, from IT Carlow expressed concern over the vote stating:
I had to get a loan out each year during college, and put myself into debt just to pay the fees. What made things difficult is that every year the fees rose until reaching €3,000. I have been in debt since I was 17 – before I was even legally an adult. During my first years after graduation, I have always been in financial debt because of my loans. I couldn’t imagine being able to afford loans of €20,000 for my degree.
So, why is this an issue now? Could student loans become a reality in Ireland?
A recent report on funding higher education by Peter Cassells is currently being examined by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education.
It specifically makes reference to a student-loan scheme, but said a number of considerations would have to be made before such a plan was rolled out.
“It is expected that there would be net savings to the public finances arising from the introduction of income-contingent loans,” finds the report.
Impact of student loans
However, it states considerations as to whether the introduction of income contingent loans would have an adverse impact on participation among those from low-income families would have to be looked at.
At present students from low-income families are not required to pay fees in relation to full-time undergraduate education while with income-contingent loans such students would be required to make deferred payments.
However the report finds there is evidence from the UK and Australia which indicates that participation by lower-income groups was not adversely affected by the introduction of income-contingent loans.
“Furthermore, research by the European Commission and others indicates that when balanced with student support of various kinds, increased fees do not necessarily have an overall negative impact on enrollments in higher education,” states the report.
However, this debate comes in the same week as a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies in the UK finds that students in England are going to graduate with average debts of £50,800.
Those from the poorest backgrounds, with more loans available to support them, will graduate with debts of over £57,000, reports the BBC.
Interest charges are levied as soon as courses begin in the UK and the IFS said students on average will have accrued £5,800 in interest charges by the time they have graduated from university.
Decline in participation
There has also been a decline in participation by part-time and mature students in recent years, with the tripling of tuition fees in the UK in 2012 identified as a contributory factor in this decline.
While the Cassells report states that the UK experience is not directly relevant to Ireland, as the level of tuition fees in England is much higher than the level contemplated in the report, it does highlight that part-time and mature students are more sensitive to fee levels.
The Seanad motion was supported by Sinn Féin, but opposed by both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil who submitted counter-motions. The government claimed it was not appropriate to rule out any policy until after the committee had considered the Cassells report.
“There can be no return to a situation envisaged in the Fine Gael manifesto in 2011, which referred to a student loan scheme to fill the gap. We cannot return to that. We must have a better vision. We have to look forward and aspire to a free third level system,” Ó Ríordáin told the Seanad this week.
While, Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan said:
The fact that neither Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil are going to support the motion this evening is very disappointing and outlines why neither of these parties can be trusted when it comes to education.
Fine Gael are ideologically opposed to the idea of a fully publicly funded education system, while Fianna Fáíl are simply keeping their options open, and keeping the ICL option on the table.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said it was very concerned that two of the main political parties could not commit that a loan system would not be introduced.
Students not happy
USI President Michael Kerrigan said it’s time government put their money where their mouth is and make the commitment to publicly invest in education.
“Senators from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael asked for patience with the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to come to a conclusion and publish their recommendations on how third-level should be funded. Well, we say this: where are these recommendations as our colleges crumble before us?” he said.
The USI are now calling on the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to make a decision on the future funding of third-level education, and to reject any move to implement an income-contingent loan scheme but instead to publicly invest in third level education.
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Finally, an informed, accurate piece on this topic
Yes informed however the Minister for Health and former Minister for Health (Leo) should step down
It would be good to know it the wife’s and daughters of the Senior management had their test done in the same way and if in recent weeks they had tests and in which clinics?
@Cranky: how else would the tests be done. They could have paid to do it privately but its still the same test. Did you actually read the article.
I concur with the article. However a phone call and call back has resulted in no answers to my questions from the helpline. HSE/CS I want action and not any more time wasting and being passed from Billy to Jack.
I’m getting one per year from now on. Will have to pay but there’s no price on life.
Good article & it’s essential women have confidence in cervical screening which if abnormalities detected early treatment can commence.
I’ve a few observations to make: According to article today”US Laboratories contracted by Cervical Check to carry out standard screening only” which article says “with higher potential for error!.This is shocking when you read the article which shows that since 2002 the US CPL labs also had the capacity to check smears for HPV!So since 2008 at least,that is a lost decade when all smears could have been tested for HPV in the US CPL Labs!Who made that decision to exclude HPV cervical smear testing?
Women’s lives and health are more important than cost,etc.
So why werent they contracted to also check smears for HPV especially with the history of missed diagnosis of abnormalities on smears?
CPL Labs could have been contracted to also check smears for HPV as they had already did that for US women,etc!
I also note that HIQA advised Government in May 2017 to bring in this superior test in May 2017 but no action taken.
This scandal is more important than party politics and Government as it’s literally women’s lives affected and their children and families.There will be no tolerance of the usual “moving on” from scandals,there MUST be accountability,there MUST be transparency,there MUST be full answers,there MUST be full confidence restored in cervical screening including most importantly ensuring the screening labs screen smears for HPV,there must be full supports & medical support including any drugs that may prolong these women’s lives including compensation for women&their families without need for court cases,and finally the patient MUST come first and be No1 top priority in whatever healthcare Ireland has.
What I understand from the brave young women who have spoken out is that it was hard enough to get the diagnosis of terminal cancer and the heartbreak it is causing their families but to find out that abnormalities were missed and not been informed about that for years adds to the trauma.It is disgraceful.
Urgent actions can be taken even in conjunction with the scoping enquiry such as ensuring the US CPL Labs conduct HPV testing re smears including in its sister company here so that women can have more confidence in cervical screening.Urgent supports to the women& families affected.Also PAC can continue this week to further question HSE,Dept of Health, Cervical Care&State Claims Agency,HIQA,etc so the public is further informed including the shocking memos.(PAC debates transcripts May 10th)
The women of Ireland&their families deserve answers and to have confidence restored and FULL accountability and transparency not just from Cervical Check,HSE,Dept of Health but also Government who make policies and can bring in strong legislation re accountability and transparency in all our public services.As Emma said “talk is cheap”,actions speak louder than words!
@Nuala Mc Namara: The HSE wouldn’t pay for the HPV to be included that’s why it was cheaper. Secondly Harris saying we will be one of the first countries to have HPV included is total crap. It’s standard practice for a number of yrs in Finland and other countries.
That’s why i am afraid to go for a smear test i don’t want to be told I’m grand and in fact
that i have cancer
@GiGi O’Dwyer: Hopefully now all smears will be tested for HPV which causes most cervical cancer and that if there’s a history of cancer in the family or any unusual symptoms eg bleeding women should contact their doctor for exam &?
HPV vaccine should protect our children.
You would wonder will this whole mess benefit VHI, Laya and private health insurance generally?
Though you would not know it from glossy brochure,corporate logo this was the cheapest check possible. One woman 3 times via this system was failed another 2. There was some serious quality issue buried here. Why are all the cases from US tests. This should of all been dealt with in 2015.
But the administrators who run the private contracts were too busy deflecting and projecting greatness onto themselves. This for me is not a communication issue alone, its the accuracy of the test, we knew it wasn’t as accurate in those labs in 2008 and seems to have been outperformed by the Coombe now substantially. The correspondence database for those dept’s will show they knew but those with most to hide will want a private commission. a brief open public inquest is what is needed.
A victims impact module included. Were the US test under performing ? Quality assurance was meant to be inbuilt into Cervical Check, who knew about issue the who what when ? , what did they do ? Give these women every treatment we can and honour them by coming clean and no Denis Naughten like talk of private in a personal capacity.
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