New plan to reduce third-level fees for students
Cabinet to consider cut in €3,000 ‘contribution’
PROPOSALS to cut the student contribution fee in third-level education to ease the financial burden on families are set to be considered by Cabinet today.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris will bring forward plans that would see a significant increase in investment in the third-level sector, while also cutting costs for students.
The Irish Daily Mail understands the Fine Gael minister will bring forward a new policy on the €3,000 student contribution fee, which Mr Harris has previously said he is in favour of reducing.
The means-tested SUSI grant scheme will also be updated under the plans, making it more accessible to more students. It comes amid calls to open the grant to more middle-income families.
But Fianna Fáil’s higher education spokesman, Malcolm Byrne, yesterday warned that cutting the student contribution without providing colleges with more funding would be ‘short-sighted’.
The Wexford senator said the education system is ‘under huge pressure’ and the burden on resources in the third-level sector has ‘gone beyond breaking point’.
He said: ‘I think a populist cut to the student fees without a commensurate sum of money being made available to the higher education institutions would be short-sighted. It will have a very serious impact on quality in our universities, technological universities and other colleges.’
However, Mr Harris will also bring proposals on boosted levels of funding required by third-level colleges in Ireland in the coming years following an economic evaluation through the European Commission.
A source close to Mr Harris said the minister wants to ensure there are better staff-to-student ratios in third-level institutions.
The Higher Education Minister will publish the new policy tomorrow pending approval at this evening’s Cabinet meeting.
Asked on RTÉ radio if Fianna Fail’s position was to oppose any cut to student registration fees, Mr Byrne said core funding must be prioritised.
‘In an ideal world, we would all love to see a cut to student fees. But if you’re asking me where should the priority be when we have limited resources available, we’ve got to look at investing in core funding,’ he said.
‘That is essential, and we’ve got to look at a radical reform of the SUSI grant scheme, so that we can improve access but also that middle-income families can qualify. They are under real pressure at the moment and we’ve got to look at a long-term investment strategy.’
Mr Harris previously said he was in favour of cutting student fees. In February, the minister said: ‘I do believe for some families the college costs can be very significant.
‘If you have two children and you’re trying to put them both through an undergraduate degree and you don’t qualify for the SUSI grant, you’re going to pay about €24,000 in registration fees if they both complete fouryear degrees.
‘I would like to reduce the fees but obviously I’m part of a collective government and need to work my way through the processes.’
The Cassells Report, published in 2016, called for annual core funding for third-level education to be increased by €600million by 2021.
However, Jim Miley, directorgeneral of the Irish Universities Association, told an Oireachtas committee in recent weeks that the increase amounted to just €121million ‘in real terms’.
He said: ‘Much of the reinvestment in the sector since 2016 has been absorbed by standstill requirements, such as costs for national pay agreements and additional student places, in respect of which there has been tremendous growth over the past two years in particular. However, standing still is no longer good enough if we are serious about the future talent and innovation needs of the country.’
Meanwhile, Mr Harris will today announce the establishment of a new help desk to assist Ukrainian refugees in availing of thirdlevel studies in Ireland.
The National Student and Researcher help desk, hosted by Maynooth University, will help third-level students and researchers fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The service will first help students who have already contacted third-level institutions in Ireland before becoming fully operational for all students from the middle of this month.
‘A populist cut is short-sighted’