Galway Students' Union says Government's student fees decision will ‘price people out of education'
The last three budgets reduced student fees by €1,000 as part of wider 'once-off' cost-of-living packages that, he said, will not be repeated this year.
Newly elected Students' Union President at University of Galway Maise Hall firmly criticised the decision.
She said: 'University of Galway Students' Union believe this is a retrograde step that will price people out of education. Students are already struggling to make ends meet with the ongoing cost of living crisis and ever increasing rent costs. Should this shameful decision come to fruition it will further add to existing financial pressures on students and their families.'
Shortly after the announcement, Minister Lawless appeared to backtrack as he explained to RTÉ's Drivetime programme that he is working on measures for this October's Budget 'which will kick in at the start of next year'.
However, Ms Hall argued the Minister's comment sounds like an empty promise.
'It sounds like an empty promise. It was something that was outlined in the programme for Government when they were running at the elections so it's very disappointing,' she told the Irish Independent.
Ms Hall added the announcement over college fees comes despite 'long overdue reforms to the SUSI grant system not yet being enacted'.
The SU President also mentioned that 49pc of University of Galway students have said they struggle to pay rent. Half of students reported working part-time to afford college, and 56pc reported that working has had a negative impact on their education.
Ms Hall said: 'Even if you're working full time over the summer and every weekend through collage, you're still scraping through.
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'For people in the Government it might not seem like a lot of money, but for students who are already struggling with the cost of living, it's a big jump.
'That's a month of rent gone, three or four months' worth of food that they have already budgeted for and planned for. This is not good enough.
She added: 'An increase in fees will simply make this bad situation worse. We urge the Government to decide not to increase fees and instead take the appropriate measures to decrease and eventually abolish fees.'
The decision on students' fees was also criticised by many elected members and different parties.
Sinn Féin TD for Galway East Louis O'Hara labelled the €1,000 hike as 'outrageous and a slap in the face for students and families who are already struggling to keep their heads above water with the spiralling cost of living.'
While Labour Party Councillor in Galway City Níall McNelis shared: 'This government doesn't know what they're doing. Hiking student fees one minute, backtracking the next. Students and working families deserve better.'
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