School fees and student supports
Deputy Clarke criticises the reintroduction of leaving cert and junior cert fees during a cost-of-living squeeze. The Tánaiste says protections remain for those most in need, defends targeted supports and permanent cost-of-living changes, and insists the fee level is being restored only to its 2019 level in real terms.
I raise with the Tánaiste the decision of Government to reintroduce the leaving certificate and junior certificate fees at a time when families are under such immense financial pressure, between energy arrears and struggling with the rising cost of food and fuel. This is also the week when the annual direct debit for the local property tax came out of many people's bank accounts. One parent put it to me that the last thing her family needs is another bill coming through the door and that they simply cannot get blood from a stone. These fees are a tax on learning and they are hitting most working, struggling families and hitting them the hardest. At a time when households are at breaking point, this is tone deaf, quite frankly. Will the Tánaiste please review this decision? Families simply do not have this money.
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For families who are most in need, the protections remain in place and I want to say that. The protections are in place for any student with a full medical card, anybody covered under their parent's or guardian's card will continue to be fully exempt-----
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Not all will. What about the others?
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I get confused sometimes as to the Sinn Féin economic position. Is it everything must be free or is it that we should we target supports at those most in need? If it is that we should target supports at those most in need-----
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Do not tut-tut at me, please. If it is that we should target supports at those most in need and if it is Sinn Féin's position that every cost-of-living measure that was in place pre-Covid should remain in place post-Covid, that is a very different sort of Ireland. We made it very clear we were moving to sustainable, permanent reductions in core areas; the permanent reduction in college fees, the permanent progress we want to make on childcare and making targeted interventions here as well.
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These fees were last charged in 2019. They will be at the same level they were since 2012 which means in real terms, they will be a lot less. Crucially, protections for students in need financially, through that medical card system which means they are fully exempt, remain in place.
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The Tánaiste knows that is not true.