FG wants college graduates to pay taxes instead of fees

COLLEGE graduates could be asked to pay extra taxes instead of being charged fees by a future Fine Gael government. Outlined in a policy proposal from the party's education spokesperson Brian Hayes, he suggests anybody with a third-level degree would pay increased PRSI contributions over a period of up to 10 years after graduation.

While such a scheme would in ways be similar to the fees-loan system that is among the options being considered by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe, Mr Hayes said the differences would be that everyone would pay the same amount regardless of their qualification and his proposal would be less of a deterrent to poorer people entering higher education.

Mr Hayes did not specify the amounts involved or the likely cost to graduates but said he will give more details in a green paper to the party in January, including a commitment that they would continue to pay tuition fees for undergraduates.

He told the Fine Gael national conference in Wexford last night that the party would never support the reintroduction of fees.

"The money raised through these PRSI contributions would be put into a dedicated higher education fund, because the minister is right to say we need a new means of providing additional funding for the sector if we are to expand third-level student numbers, which have risen from 120,000 to 170,000 in a decade," Mr Hayes said.

Mr O'Keeffe has already ordered a review of the €2 billion annual third-level budget, and the FG TD said any additional funding would be dependent on certain conditions being met.

"I'm not convinced we have the right quality assurances in the sector, if we ask students to pay for their education, lecturers need to become more available and have more contact time with students," he said.

"Colleges also need to have far more access programmes, because while there have been improvements in lower socio-economic groups going to third level, some are still under-represented."

Mr Hayes also proposed that colleges would need to improve their collaboration to reduce replication of courses and more focus would have to be placed on the labour force's innovation and skills requirements.

Mr O'Keeffe expects to bring his proposals to Cabinet early next year, with the possible reintroduction of tuition fees and a loan system under which graduates repay their fees when they start earning certain incomes among the options likely to be considered.

There have been numerous protests since the minister first raised the idea in the summer, but he has said no family earning less than €130,000 a year should be eligible for fees.

Around 10,000 people are expected to march in Cork at midday today against the education cutbacks announced in the budget.