Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this important motion on the costs of education. I looked in my book before coming down here and as recently as today I had seven dealings with parents who have had difficulties with the high cost of education. This could be the cost of the courses their children are on or the cost of living in respect of the student rental accommodation and the difficulties they have in accessing funding in this regard. I told those people about this motion. They were very grateful that it was coming before the Dáil. I thank Sinn Féin for its work and dedication on this important matter.

We welcome and fully support this motion. As the cost of living in Ireland continues to rise, students find themselves at the mercy of financial strain. Despite a slight drop in inflation, families are still struggling to meet their household expenses, leaving students vulnerable and forgotten in the midst of this affordability crisis. We are witnessing high education costs having an alarming impact on students and their families, which emphasises that the measures taken in budget 2023 fall short of providing substantial relief. It is important to note that while the Government may boast about falling inflation rates and take credit for this development, it is essential to understand what these numbers truly mean for the average person.

Let us consider a hypothetical scenario where inflation decreases from 8% to 6%. On the surface, this might seem like a positive development. In reality, though, this indicates that the cost of living is still increasing, albeit at a slightly slower pace. Inflation represents the general rise in prices over time, which means that even with a lower rate of increase goods and services are becoming more expensive. To put this simply, when inflation persists, it means that the purchasing power of our money is diminishing. While the Government, therefore, might present falling inflation as a victory, it does not change the fact that people are still facing higher expenses for their everyday needs, making it difficult to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Anecdotal evidence from students and parents in various constituencies, including mine, highlights a shared concern that these mounting costs may hinder academic success. Students from the lower socio-economic backgrounds are particularly susceptible to the escalating prices of food, transportation, rent and energy. Their financial limitations can significantly impede their ability to excel academically and fulfil their potential. None of us wants to see a situation where young people cannot get the most out of themselves education wise because of a lack of funding or resources. We do not want that to happen.

The Irish League of Credit Unions, ILCU, which I thank and compliment for its excellent work always, in its most recent annual survey revealed important data about the back-to-school costs faced by Irish parents of children attending primary and post-primary levels and the impact of rising living costs on their budgets. While the survey does not provide specific details on the cost of education, it highlights the financial burden faced by parents in preparing their children for school. The findings include the fact that two-thirds of Irish parents, 66%, consider the cost of back-to-school items a financial burden. Parents spend an average of €1,518 per child attending secondary school and €1,195 per child attending primary school. Back-to-school costs are causing 29% of parents into debt, with an average debt of €339. Some 10% of parents are considering using illegal moneylenders to cover these expenses. The one thing we would all plead is that under no circumstances should parents be forced to use the services of illegal moneylenders, who are actually nothing better than highway robbers, to be honest. Credit card usage for purchasing back-to-school items has increased by 6% to 23%.

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