Government must make good on commitment to reduce student fees
Government must make good on commitment to reduce student fees - The Labour Party
Labour TD and Spokesperson on Education, Eoghan Kenny, has said any move to scrap planned reductions in the student contribution fee would be “an outrageous betrayal of students” and has called on the Minister for Further and Higher Education, James Lawless, to immediately clarify the Government’s position.
Deputy Kenny was responding to reports that student fee reductions may be under threat in the upcoming Budget amid pressures within the Department of Education.
Speaking today, Deputy Kenny said:
“Any suggestion that student fee reductions could now be scrapped is deeply alarming and would represent a complete betrayal of students and their families. At a time when young people are already struggling with rent, transport and day-to-day costs, the idea that Government would row back on reducing fees is simply unacceptable.
“Students cannot be treated as a cash machine to plug gaps caused by departmental overspends. That is fundamentally unfair and shows a Government that is completely out of touch with the reality facing young people.
“The Minister himself has previously stated his intention to wind down student fees over the lifetime of this Government. What we are seeing now is the exact opposite, confusion, mixed signals and the very real prospect of fees going back up. That is not a plan, it is a retreat.
“I will be raising this directly with the Minister in the Dáil on Thursday morning. Students and their families deserve clear answers, not leaks, not speculation, and certainly not broken promises.”
Deputy Kenny reiterated Labour’s position that the cost of education must be reduced, not increased, and warned that any move to halt or reverse fee reductions would be strongly opposed.