Personalise your news feed by choosing your favourite topics of interest
Get Started
No Thanks
Create your own newsfeed
Choose 3 or more topics that you want to see.
Irish News
Politics
International
Opinion
Living
Family
Technology
Business
GAA
Soccer
Rugby
MMA
Watercooler
Going Out
Screens
Quizzes
Change Generation
Create my newsfeed
Advertisement
This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising.
By continuing to browse, you agree to the use of cookies described in our Cookies Policy.
You may change your settings at any time but this may impact on the functionality of the site.
To learn more see our Cookies Policy.
I’m a young, unemployed student. I desperately needed to pay my college tuition, so I signed up to a website seeking a ‘financial arrangement’ with a wealthy man.
Families who agree to take on a student for the full year – 52 weeks – will have their fees completely set aside, while those who take in a student for 40 weeks will have their fees reduced to €1000.
The Government has announced plans to introduce a €250 hike in college fees and a reduction in the income threshold for those eligible for maintenance grants.
Twitter user claimed his campaign to stop reintroduction of third-level fees was dismissed by a ‘zzz zz’ tweet from the Labour TD. Costello says it was caused by an iPhone ‘glitch’.
TANAISTE and Education Minister Mary Coughlan today ruled out a reintroduction of third-level fees.
The minister put the minds of leaving cert students at ease by saying fees would not be apart of the 2011 Budget.
The minister who is awaiting a report on the development of third-level education for the next 20 years. The report by Dr Colin Hunt was expected to be published in June will now not be published till the Autumn. It is expected that the report will advocate the return of fees.
However, Minister Coughlan has ruled out fees for the lifetime of the current government.
“No that is the government commitment, that is the programme for government” she told Newstalk
“Any decision in the future of 3rd-level education over the next 20 years will have to be considered by government”.
“This is a report that will bring a number of recommendations for the reform of 3rd-level education in this country” she added.
TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin went head-to-head in the first live televised election debate last night where a range of issues from healthcare to housing were discussed.
One moment that set people talking was towards the end of the debate when presenter Pat Kenny asked each of the candidates if they have ever used illegal drugs.
While Martin instantly replied that he has never taken illegal drugs, Varadkar said he already answered this question in an interview several years ago. After he was pressed for an answer from Kenny and Martin, Varadkar admitted he had used illegal drugs but said it was “obviously a long time ago.”
Speaking on the Tonight Show after the debate, Fr Peter McVerry dismissed it as a pointless question, adding that only people buying drugs regularly should have to account for their moral decision.
It is clear that a wider debate is to be had around personal drug use and how much of this should be shared by those running for elected office.
So today we’re asking you: Is it fair to ask politicians about their own personal drug use?
