More Hypocrisy

Thursdays (19March) Indo had two pages dedicated to third level issues, one dealt with the multi million Euro pay bonanza for university high flyers (page 10) while further on (page 30) the theme turned to students paying extortionate amounts through a graduate tax scheme.

Interestingly, the stories were kept apart from one another just to ensure that readers would not see the sheer gaul of university presidents stating how much in debt their universities are and therefore students must now pay, yet the 15 staff listed earned between EUR200,000 and EUR500,000. The EUR10million bonanza would require 2,000 students paying fees of EUR5,000 a year just to pay 40 staff! It is no wonder the system is in ‘deficit’ when these ‘top’ earners are earning up to fifteen (yes that’s 15) times the average industrial wage.

No mention of any pay cuts from these elites, despite notice from the Department of Education that they wish to cut staff numbers in the third level sector. It is disgraceful and boarders on the truly shameful, especially as it will, most likely, be the youngest (and sometimes better) junior lecturers will be the first to be targeted.

None of the IT sector staff or directors were written about in the article.

The graduate tax proposed by FG would see some students paying an extra EUR200 per month (if you are an Arts graduate) while if the student has a calling for any laboratory science, medicine, dentistry, veterinary etc the monthly charge will be a whopping EUR1,333. I really hope people don’t expect these students, after graduating, to be able to afford new cars, houses, any type of spending that could fix an ailing economy recover like our own. This short-sighted proposal is a graduate tax (but via PRSI as opposed PAYE).

The FG green paper also included ‘a new national technical university’ which is a term and ideal fed to the joint oireachtas committee on education last week from the heads of the IT sector. So again, no innovation or creativity here.

The education spokesperson Brian Hayes stated that he though it highly unlikely that graduates would leave the country to escape having to repay a graduate tax, which will come on top of higher taxes, a pension levy, an income levy and whatever other scheme the current crowd of incompetents will introduce.

NEWSFLASH - I’d leave. Brian Hayes is out of touch with the younger generation. Students will leave to find employment in countries that will pay the most for their skills, or get paid better within a lower cost economy. Being a young European, I know how easy it is to move across the continent, so Deputy Hayes is wrong.

Again Labour was awarded the bottom of the page and stated that they disagree with FG and that third level should be paid for by general taxation.

USI welcomed the fact that the proposals promote discourse about the third level sector, which is more than the current resident of Malborough Street is promoting.