Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann: notes:

— comments by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless T.D. on RTÉ where he indicated that in the absence of a cost of living package this year student fees will rise; and

— the Minister's statement coupled with the refusal of Government to provide a cost-of-living package this year means student fees this coming September will be €3,000 which is €1,000 higher than they were last year;

further notes:

— students will be disproportionately impacted by the ability of landlords to reset rents to market rates between tenancies as most students only rent for nine months of the year;

— Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne T.D. has made clear that it will not be possible to provide a specific protection for students in the mainstream private rental sector which is where a majority of students rent;

— it is also not clear what protections, if any, will actually be provided for students in Student Specific Accommodation as this issue was not addressed in the Government's initial proposal and is only now being considered on foot of concerns raised by Sinn Féin, students' unions and others; and

— the cost of living is impacting on every aspect of student life and this increase to fees will heap further financial pressure on young people and their parents; and

calls on the Government to:

— introduce a cost-of-living package which cancels the scheduled €1,000 fee hike and reduces fees by a further €500, meaning the maximum fee this September would be €1,500 instead of €3,000; and

— permanently abolish student fees within two years.

I ask the Minister to have a look at those in the Gallery. These students are the future of our Ireland. They are the people who not only deal with the issues students face, but were also once students. Some still are. They are the people the Minister has turned his back on, as have the Tánaiste and the Government.

It is safe to say we all agree that education plays a crucial part in anyone's life. It is a right and not a privilege. It is the cornerstone of who we are, yet the Minister has chosen to hike the fees by €1,000 at a time of a cost-of-living crisis. Bryan O'Mahony of the USI has been crystal clear in his assessment that students are being treated as political pawns - used in pre-election sweeteners and betrayed post-election. The Minister's announcement of the raising of fees was not only poorly timed. It was a calculated attack. It landed right before the CAO change-of-mind deadline and just as student union officers were changing across the State. This was a deliberate attempt to push through an unjust fee hike knowing full well that the impact on students and their families would be devastating.

We cannot ignore the consequences of this decision. According to recent USI studies, 38.4% of students are experiencing extremely severe levels of anxiety.

Some 29.9% are battling depression and 17.3% are dealing with overwhelming stress. These are staggering figures and the fee increase will add an additional weight on the shoulders of those who are already struggling to make ends meet.

One student nurse from UCD pointed out that any increase to student fees will be detrimental not only to their mental health but also to their learning experiences. Nurses and midwives who are holding up the healthcare system on their shoulders are facing a myriad of hidden costs throughout their degree. These include additional travel and costs for mandatory clinical placements. They are already burdened by a level of debt which is forcing countless numbers of these graduates to emigrate in search of better opportunities.

Ireland is not a country for young people. Gearóid Folan, vice president of TUS students' union has been unequivocal in saying that students are on their knees financially. This proposal will push hundreds of students out of higher education and even worse it will discourage many more from even considering it. Is this the future the Minister wants for Ireland, a future which prices young people out of third level education? One parent shared their concern with us. They pointed out that while more students may qualify for the €500 SUSI grant, it does not actually put them ahead if the fees go up. In fact this parent still has to pay €10,000 to cover rent on top of student fees, food, travel and other living expenses. There are parents of multiple children in third level education and this fee hike will force them to make the decision about whether they can afford to send their children to college at all.

Let us talk about SUSI. The Government has long touted SUSI as a solution for students in financial difficulty, but for many SUSI is a distant dream. It is way out of reach for far too many students. One student asked why SUSI's motto is "supporting you all the way", when clearly it does not. Why is the Government turning its back on the very people who need it most? The Minister has seen the backlash and heard the anger of hundreds of students gathered outside this House and many more right up there. He needs to answer them. Why is he targeting them? Why is he attacking the future of our country?

How can the Minister say that education should be for everyone when he is actively building barriers that stop students from accessing the education they deserve? He cannot claim to stand for equal opportunity when his policies are creating a system that benefits only the wealthy. It is time to act. We call on him to support our Private Members' motion to introduce a cost-of-living package that cancels the scheduled €1,000 fee hike. We also call on him to reduce fees by a further €500 meaning the maximum student fees this year will be €1,500 instead of €3,000. We ask him to commit to abolishing student fees entirely within the next two years. Higher education should be an opportunity for all, not a privilege reserved for the few. The young people of this nation deserve better. They deserve the right to education without the shackles of debt or financial worry. It is time to stand up for them and not push students further down the road of inequality. I urge the Minister to do the right thing. He should row back on his fee hike, support our students and support our future.

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