Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

Families are asking if the fees are going to cost €2,000 or €3,000 come September. The Minister went on to say that this was the way things were done but the Minister, Deputy Lawless, has made it very clear that fees will go up by €1,000. He said that if he did not have a cost-of-living package, he could not take the kinds of measure that were taken last year.

There is no point blaming Donald Trump's tariffs for what the Government is doing to students. Why are students being attacked? This has been done already with rent increases. They are going to get a double whammy. The Minister does not understand or appreciate the strains families are under. I gave an example but there are countless others and they are bound to be in his constituency. These are parents with two and three children in college. That is €2,000 or €3,000 more that they have not budgeted in. Will the Minister give clarity now that the Government's position is that, when the fees letter lands in September, they will be increased by €1,000 and the fees will be charged at €3,000 per student? What is needed-----

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