SINN FEIN has vowed to scrap college fees – so that everyone can go on to Third Level education.
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said his party will get rid of the €3,000 annual ‘registration’ fee over the term of the next Dáil.
“The fee will be reduced by €500 each year until it’s gone with the difference being made up from the exchequer,” said Doherty tonight.
“I know families where a parent has to decide which sibling can go to college because families just don’t have the money to send more than one,” he said.
“In other cases hard-working families struggle to get even one child through college. The cost of accommodation and basic living expenses, especially in Dublin, is already a huge burden on families.
“We believe in free education for all, so that every person gets a chance to go to college.”
The policy is set to be a vote winner with many families who are find the increasing cost of third level education a massive strain.
The move comes as the latest opinion poll put Sinn Fein up two per cent.
The latest RED C opinion poll for tomorrow’s Sunday Business Post was carried out between Monday and Thursday.
Excluding the 12% of undecided voters Fine Gael is down two points to 28%.
Their coalition partners, Labour, are unchanged on 8% since last week. Fianna Fáil is also unchanged on 18%.
However, Sinn Féin’s support has risen by three points to 20%. The rise in support for Sinn Féin has come on a week when the party faced much criticism from opponents over its stance on non-jury courts.
However socialist Clare Daly – who also opposes non-jury courts – said most voters were more interested in “real issues” affecting their lives.
Independents and others are down one point to 26%. Within that, Independents are on 16% (the Independent Alliance is at 3%). The Social Democrats are at 4%, The Anti Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit party is at 3%, the Greens are on 2% and Renua is at 1%.
All changes are within the 3% margin of error.
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