97. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the programme for Government commitment to continue to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government, as of July 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37316/25]

Sentiment score: 0.22

I realise that we have just had a debate on this. I seek an update on the programme for Government to continue to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government, as of July 2025.

Sentiment score: 0.00

I do not doubt the Minister's bona fides on this. It spans - the Minister referred to it there quite lightly - a number of Departments. We have significant challenges in housing. We have significant challenges in a different cost-of-living crises in terms of paying for groceries, for example, running a car, and the different type of relationship one has with parents at home on whether they are able to afford to contribute to one's living. The Minister will agree that ensuring education is within reach for everyone will ultimately benefit our society and our economy. That is extremely important. If we can ensure that education is accessible and affordable to everybody in this society, it benefits Ireland as a whole in whatever aspect that may be with the understanding and realisation that, by increasing a student tuition fee, it creates an economic barrier for a lot of students. Although they may be able to access some bit of the grant, it still creates an economic barrier to that education that they so badly need.

Sentiment score: 0.31

The debate the Minister referred to in his first contribution is essential. It is important and we all need to contribute towards that. The only question I have in relation to the student support facility that is in place is that the emails I am receiving tell me that they cannot afford this new measure and this new cost. I then go back to people and ask them whether they have applied for SUSI. They have applied for SUSI. They cannot access the full grant but still cannot afford the new increased cost. Unfortunately, that is the reality for families. It is unfortunate that we are living in a society like that where money is becoming a barrier to a child's education, particularly in the cases of families who have two, three or four children attending third level education. That has to be recognised. I welcome the fact that there have been increases to the thresholds of the SUSI grant scheme. I do not doubt for a minute that that is encouraging but it is this increase in the student fees that is very worrying for many families throughout the country.

Sentiment score: 0.15