Government urged to ‘get its act together’ over third-level fees plan

By Cate McCurry, PA

The Government has been urged to “get its act together” and level with parents and students on how much college fees will be in the new academic year.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe became the latest minister to refuse to confirm Government plans over third-level fees.

The student contribution fee has been temporarily reduced for the past three years as part of cost-of-living packages accompanying the budget.

The fees had been €3,000 before being temporarily cut by €1,000, saving families with multiple children at third level thousands of euros per academic year.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore told the Dail that students and families have been “led down the garden path” by the Government and they are “absolutely sick of its games”.

Earlier this week, Higher Education Minister James Lawless said that student contribution fees will increase as there is no cost-of-living package to pay for what were temporary reductions introduced amid an inflation crisis.

He said that fees will have to be reset, which means they will revert to the same level as previous years.

He added that “all of us in any walk of life have to play the hands we’re dealt”.

Ms Whitmore described these comments as “utterly galling and incredibly tone deaf”.

“When will the Government get its act together and level with parents and students?” the Wicklow TD added.

“It has been five days since the higher education minister took to the airways and dropped the bombshell that parents and students will have to find another €1,000 to fund college before September.

“He did not try to sugarcoat that news – it was quite the opposite. A member of Government actively stacking the deck against students and families, essentially telling them to suck it up – that is what he said – and play the bum hand they have been dealt.”

Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy said the minister “clearly stated” that without a cost-of-living package in October’s budget, college fees will rise by €1,000.

This, he said, was backed up by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

“Let us clear up this mess today,” he urged Mr Donohoe.

“I have just one simple question for the minister and it is the same question that has been anxiously asked at kitchen tables all over the country.

“When students get their bill in September, how much will they be asked to pay? Will it be €2,000 or €3,000?

“Students and their families need an answer to that question today. It is the only question I have for the minister.”

Mr Donohoe answered by outlining the supports available to students.

He said that one in three students do not pay a student contribution.

He told the Dáil that half of students use the SUSI scheme, and that households with an income of up to 64,000 euro do not pay a student contribution.

The Fine Gael minister added: “Budget by budget, we make changes we believe are affordable which recognise the challenges there.

“That is why we will do what we normally do in the approaching budget. We will put in place measures, including those to deal with the cost of becoming a student and the challenge many families face, we know are affordable, can be funded and can be built upon in the years ahead.

“The minister, deputy Lawless, myself and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, deputy (Jack) Chambers, are clear on what that objective is.

“We are clear that temporary measures in place when inflation was high need to be looked at as well as how we can put in place other measures that can make a difference to something we know is an acute difficulty for many and those who are already receiving needed supports.”