Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the case of a couple earning €21,000 each, they are not entitled to the maintenance grant, which means they must pay student fees. The cut-off threshold is €41,000 for the maintenance grant and one gets nothing when income increases to €47,000. If they are earning €24,000 each, which are very low incomes and well below the average industrial wage, the family will pay fees. In the case where there is one person breadwinner and has a decent job earning €44,000, the son must pay fees when he goes to college. That person will pay tax at the higher rate and the Government intends to increase fees from €2,250 up to €3,000 within a period of three years. This is an increase of €750. The Minister has referred to €50 but, if one provides the relief, it would amount to far more than €50 because this applies to people on the standard rate of tax. It would amount to 41% of €750.