Third level tuition fees will be not be burdened on students until September 2010.

The government has announced that third level college fees will be not be burdened on students until September 2010.

No further details have been released on the exact structure of the fees but it is believed that options such as the return of fees, a graduate tax, and student loans are being considered.

Any fees will only apply to those commencing university next year, thus, not affecting existing third level students.

The Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe, is expected to push for the introduction of a graduate tax, where students would be expected to repay their education costs once they leave third-level education for the workplace. This system is similar to the Australian model where education costs are repaid through income tax once students have graduated.

The cabinet will also look at the possibility of bringing in low interest loans to encourage students to pay the fees in full rather than having to face a crippling bill in the years to come.

Minister O‘Keefe has yet to clarify who exactly will be expected to pay fees, but is determined to protect middle and low income families.

O’Keeffe said he is striving to ensure that “any scheme implemented does not place an unfair burden on students or their families or act as a disincentive to participation in higher education by those from less well-off backgrounds.’’

Fine Gael’s education and science spokesperson Brian Hayes TD says his party is wholly against the re-introduction of fees and that Fine Gael’s proposals are more student-friendly.

“We feel an alternative would be to enforce a graduate tax whereby students pay up to a maximum of 30% of the cost of their fees through a higher rate of PRSI over a five to ten year period once they graduate”, he said.

“This would mean we could abolish student registration fees creating a more flexible method of paying back the debt”, he added.

Hayes went on to say that if fees are re-introduced, there will need to be a “major reform of the higher education system”, as the relationship between colleges and students would change.

The Labour party, on the other hand, recognises there is a big funding problem in the third-level sector but still asserts that third-level education should remain free for all.

The Labour party is opposed to a new financial barrier as we believe the gate of access should not be restricted.

There is a 55% participation rate in third level education this year and the aim is that it will have increased to 70%. The re-introduction of fees will interfere with that national objective.