Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has said a number of different proposals are under consideration on fees for third-level education and no decision has been made yet.
Mr Quinn was speaking as he arrived for a meeting at the Department of Education offices in Dublin this morning.
A group of students who had camped overnight on Marlborough Street outside the building have packed up their tents.
They spent the night there to protest against possible increases in student contributions and cuts to student supports.
Minister Quinn said the Government was dealing with an incredibly difficult budgetary situation.
He said there were still a large number of students who did not have to pay a contribution.
Elsewhere, there were lively exchanges in the Seanad this morning as the issue of education cuts was raised.
Fianna Fáil's Darragh O'Brien said it was notable that there were no Labour Youth or protesters present at the student protest yesterday, as seen in previous years.
He called on the Minister for Education to come to the Seanad to explain why he had ''lied to the electorate'' over third level fees and discuss the fact that the party had broken another election promise.
Labour's John Whelan said it was hard to listen to ''the crocodile tears'' that are being shed on a daily basis for students by members of the Opposition.
With that, Senator O'Brien held up a photograph of Mr Quinn signing the pledge not to introduce third level fees.
Senator Whelan said he strongly rejected the accusations made against Mr Quinn.
Fine Gael's Martin Conway called for an urgent debate on education.
Mr Conway said the presence of 15,000 students yesterday spoke volumes that times had certainly changed since the days of the Celtic Tiger.
He called for an analysis of salaries being made to senior members of staff at third level institutions. He said wages needed to be cut from the top down.
