Richard O'Donoghue: Warns Fee Rise Will Break Student Families
Richard O'Donoghue criticised rising costs and a lack of student accommodation, arguing that proposed fee increases would further burden families. He said inflation is forcing parents to pay months of rent in advance and that the government should reduce, not add, to college fees.
O'Donoghue told deputies that families are under severe strain from inflation and that increasing college fees by
1,000 euros would be the wrong move. He argued the government should be removing barriers to education rather than adding costs.
He described how students now have to rent accommodation two or three months before term starts and pay up front. He gave examples of households already making multiple payments on student housing because colleges cannot provide adequate accommodation.
O'Donoghue said inflation is forcing families to forego essentials and work extra hours in summer to cover education costs. He warned there is "no more left in these families" and criticised the cumulative impact of taxes and living costs on parents trying to send children to college.
As chair of the Budget and Oversight committee, he said a central banking discussion had revealed extra money in the coffers paid by taxpayers. He accused the government of not returning that money to students and families who are funding it.
He chastised deputies for not listening attentively in the chamber, saying some kept their heads down and looked at phones. He also called out Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty in the course of his remarks.
Main criticism
O'Donoghue told deputies that families are under severe strain from inflation and that increasing college fees by
1,000 euros would be the wrong move. He argued the government should be removing barriers to education rather than adding costs.
Student accommodation pressure
He described how students now have to rent accommodation two or three months before term starts and pay up front. He gave examples of households already making multiple payments on student housing because colleges cannot provide adequate accommodation.
Family finances and inflation
O'Donoghue said inflation is forcing families to forego essentials and work extra hours in summer to cover education costs. He warned there is "no more left in these families" and criticised the cumulative impact of taxes and living costs on parents trying to send children to college.
Budget committee and coffers
As chair of the Budget and Oversight committee, he said a central banking discussion had revealed extra money in the coffers paid by taxpayers. He accused the government of not returning that money to students and families who are funding it.
Parliamentary rebuke
He chastised deputies for not listening attentively in the chamber, saying some kept their heads down and looked at phones. He also called out Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty in the course of his remarks.
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Transcript
First of all, I want to thank all the students that are here today and all their families that are encouraging them to go to college. But the problem here now lies is parents now have to choose if they have two children to go to college they may not be able to afford it. The scenario is the inflation cost at the moment is putting a massive strain on family life for the students, for all families. It has been a massive strain. The government having their adequate accommodation for students to go to college because the college doesn't have the accommodation so what do they have to do? They have tried to get accommodation as close as they can to the college if they are lucky. For anyone that doesn't know, do you know what the students have to do now? They now have to rent their accommodation two months or three months before they go to college. And pay for it now before they go to college. We are doing it ourselves in our household. We have two payments already made on a house for students with other parents because they have no other place to go to college. And that is the only way they can get them to college. And that is because there is no student accommodation. Down on top of this now, the government wants to put back on 1,000 euros on top of college fees. It is the reverse. You should be taking off another 1,000 and letting them go for education free. They are the next generation that we want to educate. So they have inflation that families are doing without food. One and four are doing without food to make sure that they are now working extra hours themselves during the summer. And where is that money going for during the summer? To pay for accommodation that the government can't provide to let them go to third level education. Where is it going to stop? If you work in this country, you are taxed. If you bill something for yourself, you are doubly taxed as well down top of it. And now we have students that want an education and their family want them to be educated, which everyone here seems to always want it. And you are putting more and more obstacles in their way. For God's sake, will you see reality what it is? There is no more left in these families. Every penny they earn, they pay tax and they put food on the table, they pay for the living standard that they have. The writing on the wall is telling you they are under so much pressure, they can't take any more. And now you want to put back up the fees. I was in the committee today, I am the chair of the Budget and Oversight and we had a central banking today. And we were talking about the extra money that is in the coffers. Extra money that is in the coffers from the taxpayers of Ireland. And you won't give back to the students and the families that are actually paying for the taxes in the first place. No wonder you have your heads down over there. You can't look me in the eye. Why? Why can you look at them in the eye? Why can't you look at them in the eye? And look at it, heads down the whole time and look at your phones when you should be listening to the speeches. Thank you, deputies. Paul Nicholas Gogarty. First time you stuck your head up to the cabin. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty.