Laois TD questions Student Fees Hike in Dáil

Brian Stanley says previous Government cut to student fees was election ploy

Independent Republican TD for Laois Brian Stanley raises student fees in the Dáil

“The latest move by the Government on fees for third level students clearly exposes what they did last autumn, in the run up to the Election, was an election ploy. They just reduced the fees then by €1000, and they were obviously successful to some extent, in that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael got the most votes.

The cut to student fees is now shown as one of the methods they used to buy that election. The program for Government was clear, and there’s a clear commitment in it to reduce those fees and to have them abolished completely, during the term of this Government the fact that they are now increased by €1,000 show how cynical the move was.

Unfortunately, this is coming on top of changes in the in-rent rules, for private rental accommodation. This is going to affect students very badly because they change tenancies every nine months or so, which will allow landlords to up rents each time. This is going to be more pressure on them.

Addressing the Finance Minister Jack Chambers in the Dail this week, he said “I raise the issue of Students fees. It has been a bad couple of weeks for them. I listened carefully to the Minister’s earlier answers. He framed this in the context of a once-off measure, as did the Minister, Deputy Lawless. However, the program for Government states that the Government “ will continue to reduce student contribution fees over the lifetime of the Government, to ease the financial burden on students and families, at the start of each academic year- not some academic years.

Some of the Government Deputies are jumping up and down about this as well. That is no harm, but we need some real discussion about this. The Union of Students in Ireland, USI, is saying, students will be deferring degrees as a result of this or even studying abroad.

We are back to €3,000 fees. Was the reduction last year because there was an Election? Was it just an Election stunt for last year or is the Minister going to turn this around and do the right thing. That is the question?

Minister Chamber’s reply.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Many others have raised it and as I have said to others, this is a matter for the budget 2026. We will engage with the Minister Deputy Lawless in that context. All measures and priorities are reflected in the budgetary discussions that the Government will undertake in advance of budget 2026. The same applies to the issue the Deputy has raised as it does to many other priorities.

Commenting on the exchange in the Dail Brian Stanley said “If the Government don’t reverse this, it’s going to cause huge difficulties for middle- and low-income families who are already suffering from a cost-of-living crisis.

And unfortunately, this may lead to some people not continuing with third level education or entering it in the first place”.