Protest against fee increases – Tuesday at 6pm at Leinster House
Protest against fee increases - Tuesday at 6pm at Leinster House - The Labour Party
- Tánaiste has questions to answer as to why reductions were not put on permanent footing
- Time to provide fair wages for young workers
Labour’s spokesperson on further and higher education, and former President of USI, Senator Laura Harmon said students and families will not accept any increases to student fees.
As Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil continue to fail to provide clarity, the Labour Party is protesting these changes next Tuesday at 6pm at Leinster House.
Joined by Sinn Fein, the Green Party, Social Democrats, People Before Profit and Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn, student speakers and their families will send a clear message to this Government that families cannot take any more.
Senator Harmon said:
“The Mexican standoff between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is causing untold heartache in so many homes across the country as families are totally in the dark about what the costs will be for sending young people to further and higher education.
“The now Tánaiste, then Minister for Further and Higher Education, has questions to answer on this. Why did he not put the fee reductions on a permanent footing when he was Minister with responsibility for this? Why did he fail to provide students and families with certainty on costs? He talks a big game in voice notes to his Parliamentary Party, but has failed to give any certainty to people since Minister Lawless made the bombshell announcement on Sunday.
“Ireland is already one of the most expensive places in Europe to go to further and higher education. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil laud the calibre and quality of our students, yet they are going to lock out thousands of students from further education. Families simply cannot afford any more increases to their household budget.
“Under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil families are already choosing between eating and heating. Access to further education will now depend on access to funds for so many across the country. Many students are failing to have the experience of moving out of home when going to college due to extortionate rents across the country.
“While it may not be much for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, an additional €1,000 per annum is a bridge too far for so many young people and families.
“Meanwhile, Fine Gael have failed to address systemic issues in our employment legislation to give young people access to fair wages for the thousands of students who are working full time and part time to fund their education.
“Anyone working under the age of 18 is only entitled to 70% of the national minimum wage (€9.45 per hour), while 18 year olds can be paid as low as 80% of the national minimum wage (€10.80), and 19 year olds can be paid only 90% (€12.15).
“For most students, holding down a job while in college is standard practice, and statistics tell is that almost two thirds of students undertake part-time work while enrolled on a full-time college course. We need to see this addressed in parallel with a permanent reduction in fees.
“Students and their families can’t be treated as cash cows by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. There is a Government surplus of almost €1.8billion in the National Training Fund which can only be spent for education purposes, to keep fees low. We need to hear from Government how they will approach this. I would encourage everyone who can to join us at Leinster House next Tuesday to send a clear message to this Government.”