Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)

I appreciate that, and I would appreciate if that was taken back because he made that assertion about people like me. I am not using this as a political football. This is genuine. I am the youngest Member in this House. I came out of college and the only reason I went to college was that I had access to a SUSI grant, but 80% of people across the country do not have that same access to a full grant. It is in the Minister's amendment.

I would not have been able to achieve third level education if it was not for the support of the State. The support is not being afforded to these students that was given to students for the past two years.

This is also a matter for the Tánaiste, who waved this in our faces as a temporary cost-of-living measure. His party comes out then and criticises its brother party in government on the decision that is being made. The decision made in the programme for Government when the Minister sat down with party colleagues and Fine Gael colleagues was that we would continue to reduce the student contribution fee every year over this Dáil term. When I saw that, I accepted it and I am sure students across the country accepted it. When you are at home with your parents or guardians and waiting for a grant to be approved, you are again reminded of your place in this society. You realise how little valued you are by this State if you have to rely on a grant to go to college. That is not acceptable. Third level and further education should be affordable to all.

I listened with great interest to the Taoiseach clapping himself and his party on the back for what they have done. I do not doubt or question the good things done in education over the years, but what about these students? What is being done for them? There were great things done in the past. Niamh Bhreathnach, the 1990s Labour Party Minister, gave great opportunities to students. I do not doubt for a minute the Minister's party has done good things. I accept and appreciate that, but what about these students and families? These families do not know whether they will have access to further education.

The Minister spoke of the financial framework. Does that mean that, when he looks at the framework, he will reduce student contribution fees? I respect the budgetary process. In that budgetary process and that financial framework, will the Minister reduce student fees? That is the ultimate question to be answered. Another simple question that needs to be answered is whether in September these students and their families will have to pay €2,000 or €3,000. That is a simple and fair question that has been asked on numerous occasions in the nine days since the announcement was made.

In 2020, the Minister's party leader said he was conscious of the additional cost of living away from home in a city or town and that that cost had been quite significant in the preceding years. That was a comment Micheál Martin made in 2020. Does he believe these additional costs are gone? Purpose-built student accommodation is at 18% in my county of Cork. Friends of mine are paying €700, €800 or €900 per month to rent a damp, mouldy room in Cork with no light or window. That is what they are living in and we do not seem to be progressing. The Minister's leader said he was conscious of the additional cost in 2020. Is he conscious of the costs now? There are the costs of running a car, of homes and of renting in the city or town you are studying in. We were talking today about how much the cost of groceries is going up. This is an additional economic barrier being placed on what we consider the great leveller. We spoke about the great leveller in this Chamber not so long ago.

During the general election, the Tánaiste said third level education fees would need to be phased out in the coming years to allow for their total abolition; mere months later we hear reports of plans to increase these fees. This not only betrays the trust of students and their families but also undermines the principle of accessible education for all. He created an Instagram story, saying he would let us in on the little secret that he would abolish third level education fees over the course of the next Government. It was in the programme for Government so he obviously got it through negotiations.

I am standing here after being outside and listening to the stories of students who came up to me and party members. I would not go to a protest for the sake of going to a protest. I am not that kind of person but I would go to a protest about issues of serious concern to the people sitting in the Gallery. It is disappointing that an amendment is being tabled. We need to know what students and their families will be paying. I am sure the Minister and his colleagues in government are getting emails about it. Will they be paying €3,000 or €2,000? I respect the budgetary process but I, like the students in the Gallery, do not know what they will be paying in September.

See this speech in context