Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)

I welcome the students in the Gallery this evening. No doubt some of them would have voted for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on the premise that those parties told them before the election that they would reduce student fees. Student fees were €2,000 and now the Minister is seeking to increase them to €3,000. That is actually a 50% increase yet the parties opposite went to the people, and told these good people up here, the families across Ireland, that they would reduce their fees. It is totally disrespectful that the Government treats these families with such disregard. It introduced giveaway budgets and, in my constituency, announced things before the election that were already announced, only to take them away just months later.

The 50% increase on student fees comes at a time when rents are skyrocketing, particularly for students. Electricity costs are the highest in Europe, insurance costs among the highest in Europe and fuel costs are also among the highest in Europe. This Government took in €4 billion last year in fuel tax, which is driving up the cost of living. Now it seeks to drive up the cost of living more on these wonderful students. What does the Minister of State say to the families across Mayo, many of whom have to send their students to Dublin, Galway or Cork? These families are already suffering, largely due to this Government, in respect of the housing crisis. I know families and I am sure the students in the Gallery will agree that students are moving out of their accommodation on a Friday and moving back in on a Sunday night or a Monday morning. That is how bad things have gotten. It is the reality of what is happening, particularly in Dublin. It is the only way students from Mayo can afford to live and go to college.

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It is a cynical thing to do, to tell the people of Ireland the Government was going to reduce the fees when the fees were €2,000, and then increase them by 50% weeks after the election. The Minister can do the right thing today and tell the families what his plan is. It is totally wrong that the Tánaiste would come out and ask if people can pay in instalments while the Government sees how it goes. What level of respect is that for students who are hoping to budget and manage their budgets? Students are coming to me wondering if they can afford to go to college this year, and the Government tells them it will see how it goes. I ask the Minister to do the right thing and tell families throughout Ireland and the students here in the Gallery and throughout the country how much their fees are going to be. Is the Minister going to increase the fees by 50% like he said last week or is he going to agree and remain steadfast to the commitment Simon Harris made three weeks before the election that the Government would reduce fees if it was returned to office.

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