Government ministers say coalition is ‘at one’ over student contribution fees

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Government ministers have defended the plan over student contribution fees, and said the coalition is “at one” on the issue.

Earlier, Tánaiste Simon Harris said there was no rift in Cabinet over whether student contribution fees should go back up or not.

He and the Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers warned that the threat of US tariffs have brought uncertainty to the Irish economy which would be taken into account in budget negotiations.

Mr Harris also accused the opposition of “misinformation” on the student fees controversy and said Sinn Féin “have some cheek lecturing us on college fees” and said that college fees in Northern Ireland are more than €5,000 a year.

Controversy over the future student contribution fee began on Sunday after Higher Education Minister James Lawless said that because there was no cost-of-living package, student fees would “reset” to what they were three years ago.

The student contribution fee was at €3,000 before the inflation crisis, and was reduced by €1,000 as part of Government measures to help people grapple with inflation.

This would cost an extra €1,000 per academic year.

Opposition politicians criticised the mooted increase and asked the Government to give clarity to parents ahead of the upcoming academic year.

Mr Lawless came out on Monday and said it was the case that he currently does not have the funds to reduce fees, but would “fight” his case as part of budgetary negotiations in the coming months.

The Fianna Fáil TD also said he was “hopeful” that whatever interventions he gains would kick in from the start of the next year, but added: “I don’t think there is any formula that can get the September instalments addressed.”

Asked about whether there was a rift in Cabinet over the issue, Fine Gael leader Mr Harris said “certainly there is not”.

He said that fees would not go up in September as those fees are covered under Budget 2025.

He said most families pay the student contribution fee in instalments, paid in September and in the new year, and so the second instalment of the upcoming academic year would come under Budget 2026.

“If I was a parent of a child going to college today, I’d be saying, ‘Do what happened last year, Do what happened the year before, do what happened the year before that’,” he said at Iveagh House on Tuesday.

“Pay in instalments and let’s see where the budget brings us to.

“I’m clear as to where I’d like to get to, which is where the programme for government commitment is: reduce the fees progressively and abolish them over the lifetime of the government.”

Minister of State Thomas Byrne, who was at Iveagh House with Mr Harris, said “I think we are at one on this”.

“I’m going to work with our colleagues in government and make sure that we deliver on programme for government commitments which are based on what we’ve already done and are based on making sure that this economy is prepared for what’s coming at it, and our education system is central to that.

“We will look to the cost, and that’s we will do what’s in the programme for government. That’s what we’ve agreed to do only a few months ago. There is no deviation from that whatsoever.”

At Leaders’ Questions, Mr Chambers said the summer economic statement would be agreed shortly, which sets out how much will be spent in the budget.

Mr Doherty said this statement was not clear enough for families.

“There’s no point blaming Donald’s Trump tariffs for what you’re doing to students,” Mr Doherty said.

He said under the fee changes combined with rental changes made by the government, students would be particularly affected by the threat of increased student contribution fees.

Mr Chambers said that Budget 2026 needed to be approached with caution.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said this represented “yet another screeching U-turn” from “the coalition of chaos”.

She said families’ budgeting plans had been thrown into “disarray” by Mr Lawless’ comments.

“What I think you said is that people may think this is an increase but really it is a reduction, and that is not the reality.

“We’re approaching the start of the 2025/26 academic year and parents and students have no certainty, and indeed, are now led to believe that there is an extra 1,000 to be paid.”

Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan said people would have “reasonably thought” from the programme for government commitment that the current student contribution fee of 2,000 euro would be reduced down from that, rather than remaining at that level.

Mr Chambers said Mr Lawless had been “clear” that affordability for students was a priority for him.

He warned that preparations for Budget 2026 would take into account economic instabilities

Mr O’Callaghan asked: “Minister did you only discovered the economic risks and threats posed by the Trump administration after the election in Ireland took place?”

He said to blame it on the Trump administration, when his election took place in early November, “doesn’t cut it with people”.

“How can you break promises like that?” he said.