Tensions continue to mount in Coalition over potential student fee changes

Irish Examiner

18 hours ago

Government leaders have moved to put on a united front despite continuing private tensions over student fee changes in the upcoming Budget.
Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have stressed the coalition is committed to reducing the cost of third level education over the lifetime of the government, after differences of opinion emerged in recent days over whether student fees should be restored to €3,000 from this term.
However privately, senior members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have moved to blame the other party for the disagreement which has sparked a backlash from students and families in recent days.
One senior Fianna Fáil minister described as "unfortunate" the fact that the parties have become embroiled in a row before proper budget talks have even started, and suggested that Mr Harris was raising expectations at a time when it will be challenging to meet the level of spending which people may be anticipating.
However, another Fine Gael minister laid the blame for tensions squarely at higher education minister James Lawless who said student fees, that were reduced by €1,000 over the past three years, will return to €3,000 as Budget 2026 will not contain a cost-of-living package which enabled the cut.
The source hit out a "naivety on his part" of Fianna Fáil's Mr Lawless, stating that he "certainly doesn't have an understanding of how the process works".
Mr Harris insisted that the Government is united on the issue of student fees, which he indicated will be reduced from early next year.
Asked about differences of opinion between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on third level fees, Mr Harris stressed that a programme for government had been sign off on by both parties.
"This idea that a bill is going to fall due of €3,000 in September isn't actually what happens. Most people don't have three grand under the mattress, or six grand if the two kids come to college, people pay in instalments, often two or three instalments, one before Christmas, maybe one in the new year, one after. So actually, the time that any reduction comes in at isn't the most pertinent point."
Speaking in Japan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government wants to introduce reforms to be sustained across their five year term.
'The Tánaiste and I, and Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister Jack Chambers have agreed that there won't be a cost of living package this year,' Mr Martin said.
What we're going to try and do is mainstream reforms and commitments in the Programme for Government into the Budget, that will be sustained then over a period of time.
"But that will create challenges for us in the first year.'
Mr Martin said there are other commitments within higher education the Government needs to examine, including the expansion of the SUSI grant and increasing accessibility to third-level for students with disabilities.
'There's a broad range of priorities there. So it'll all go forward to negotiations,' he said.
With student fees typically paid in instalments, Mr Martin was asked if it would be possible to cut the second instalment fee for students.
He said it 'might be possible', but it was early days ahead of the October budget and it would depend on the funding agreed by the public expenditure minister.
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Tánaiste insists student fees will be reduced despite coalition tension