Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

Students were protesting outside the gates earlier demanding answers. Their families are demanding answers. Students are young people trying to enjoy their summer holidays after finishing the leaving certificate and beginning college. Families across Ireland who are sending youngsters back to college and those who may be in their final year and looking to knuckle down to get their degree are demanding answers. They are getting none. They want to know one simple thing: will it be €2,000 or €3,000 they have to pay come September? This Government is refusing to give certainty. We saw Minister after Minister and the Tánaiste last week, and the Taoiseach today, refusing to answer that question. It is a poor showing when a Government cannot even manage a multiple-choice question. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael seem hellbent on waffling their way out of this and blaming others for their own indecision. They are blaming everyone else for the housing, everyone else for the cost of living, but people in this country are seeing through it. Fianna Fáil's argument that this only affects wealthy parents is nonsense. It is classic deflection. Over the past few days, I have heard from parents who are just above the SUSI thresholds, worried about funding this increase for two or three students in their own houses, from student nurses who cannot take on part-time work to make up the difference and from students who are already covering the cost of accommodation come September.

Sinn Féin's motion tonight is simple. Give students and families a break, cancel the €1,000 hike, cut the fees and move to permanently abolish student fees. To every student watching here in the Gallery, we see your struggle, we stand with you and we will fight for you. Tá sé thar am an freagra seo a leanas a thabhairt do na mic léinn taobh amuigh atá ag ágóidíocht: táimid libh, agus tiocfaidh bhur lá.

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