The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović
Anti-Empire >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy
Human Rights in Ireland >>
Biden Proposes Sweeping Supreme Court Reforms as He Attacks ?Extreme? Judges Tue Jul 30, 2024 19:00 | Will Jones
Joe Biden has proposed sweeping reforms to the U.S. Supreme Court accusing it of making "dangerous and extreme decisions" and losing the public?s trust.
The post Biden Proposes Sweeping Supreme Court Reforms as He Attacks “Extreme” Judges appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Reeves Scraps Winter Fuel Payments for 10 Million Pensioners to Fund Public Sector Wage Rise Tue Jul 30, 2024 17:00 | Will Jones
Rachel Reeves is to scrap winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners and ditch a cap on social care costs to fund a public sector wage rise, it has been announced.
The post Reeves Scraps Winter Fuel Payments for 10 Million Pensioners to Fund Public Sector Wage Rise appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
A Summary of Why the Czech Republic Vaccine Data are So Devastating to the ?Safe and Effective? Narr... Tue Jul 30, 2024 15:00 | Will Jones
The Czech Republic record-level vaccine data are devastating to the "safe and effective" narrative, says Steve Kirsch, as he provides a new overview that explains why.
The post A Summary of Why the Czech Republic Vaccine Data are So Devastating to the “Safe and Effective” Narrative appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Keir Starmer?s Anti-Israel Policies Are Now No Different to Jeremy Corbyn?s Tue Jul 30, 2024 13:00 | Will Jones
Unlike Jeremy Corbyn, Keir Starmer has never described Hezbollah as his friends. But other than that, when it comes to Israel there is now little of consequence to differentiate them, says Stephen Pollard.
The post Keir Starmer’s Anti-Israel Policies Are Now No Different to Jeremy Corbyn’s appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Is the Muslim Vote Abandoning Labour? Tue Jul 30, 2024 11:00 | Frank Haviland
Is the 'Muslim vote' set to abandon Labour? With three quarters of British Muslims refusing to believe Hamas committed atrocities on October 7th, it's hard to see how Labour can retain them, says Frank Haviland.
The post Is the Muslim Vote Abandoning Labour? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en
Voltaire Network >>
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Excellent article James, very convincing arguments, well put together and executed.
Some of the points made are very valid. However a worrying trend has developed over the last 15 years wherby the cost of 3rd level has escalated to an almost unsustainable point. At the same time, the main beneficaries of free fess have been those who can afford to pay. Those teaching in 3rd level can see this very clearly.
Now the issue I notice is not just the level of 3rd level fees but their extent. At the moment the so called "registration fee" has inflated itself to the point where it actually matches the fees charged 20 years ago for diploma and certificate courses. Considering also that the number of courses has massively increased exponentially, and that the number of students is likely to decline, this means that there is limited financial support for courses, especially less popular ones.
Now there is also a train of thought that 3rd level education is an investment in your future. For some students this is true, but a large minority fail to gain financially as a result of 3rd level education. Anybody not from a priveliged background who has done a non vocational course that they subsequently are unable to make use of in a career does not lose out in a free fees situation, but would end up doubly penalised in a high fee charging situation. Seeing as the fees for non eligible students is now in the 2.5k-5k range, this would be a heavy penalty for these students in particular if fees were reimposed. That doesn't even take into accound the high fee inflation that is likely to happen over the next few years if universities were left free to raise fees.
I think there is definitely a vested interest in the universities in re-imposing fees as it would again allow them to increase fees to meet their needs. However this could be at the expense of many students. On the other hand, this begs the question why the government has continued to commit to 3rd level free fee schemes without properly funding the colleges. This doesn't even take into account why maintenance grants have fallen in real terms, thus causing more hardship for students most in need.
I have mixed feelings about the reintroduction of fees. On one hand, there is a sizable group of students from wealthy backgrounds who are well able to afford fees and do not need the subsidies given. On the other hand, there is an equally large number of students who would suffer if fees were reintroduced. I would also issue anybody who strongly believes in fees to look at what has happened in the UK, where the introduction of student loans has more or less accompanied a massive lending boom leading to a life of chronic debt for many people, many of them now numbed to the impact of debt by the fact that they started off with substantial student debts. This is a real danger in a loan scheme. And the main beneficiary are the financial services organisations who back the government schemes.
I think colleges themselves need to review the value of their courses. I spent 6 years in TCD myself, and feel now that many university and college courses serve those who work at the colleges more than those who take the courses. This "value for money" issue needs to be addressed from the governments perspective.
I think that the best way for the rich to pay for 3rd level education is to introduce more tax bands to get more revenue from the super rich. The problem with introducing fees based on parents income is that, it doesn`t take into account the students independence of his/her parents nor does it take into account the parents willingness to pay these fees. A system of Universal free 3rd level education funded by the exchequer to a more progressive system of taxation is best way to go about it.