Higher Education Minister owes students and parents an apology – O’Gorman

Green Party Leader Roderic O’Gorman TD has called on the Minister for Higher and Further Education, James Lawless TD, to apologies to students and parents for the needless distress he has caused them, following his statement on student fees raising from €2,000 to €3,000 in September.

“This is all Minister Lawless’ fault. No one made him go on This Week and drop the bombshell about fees. Since then, students and parents have been hugely confused by the series of public comments and private briefings coming from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. The Coalition is leaking and creaking, while students and parents have been left with uncertainty and financial worry”, stated O’Gorman.

“The Government should now get its house in order and confirm this one budgetary measure, to remove this worry. But it is clear from the approach taken by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure that they are not going to do this. Instead, they are going to hide behind the mantra of ‘the normal budgetary process’. If that is going to be their position, then the very minimum owned by Minister Lawless to students and parents is an apology for the distress his careless comments have caused them."

Green Party Higher & Further Education spokesperson, Cllr Eva Dowling stated:

“This Government promised to ease the financial burden on students each year by cutting the student contribution fee. Yet six months in, they’re not reducing it—they’re actually raising it.

“I’d encourage everyone to join opposition parties and student unions at today’s rally at Leinster House. Bring your friends, your family, your housemates and classmates—and let’s make our voices heard”, concluded Cllr. Dowling.