Ninth Level Ireland

“Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has ruled out a rise in the €3,000 student charge as part of the upcoming third-level funding reform package. Mr Harris has already dismissed the idea of loans as a way of raising the charge by deferring the financial pain through a ‘study-now, pay later’ approach …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 14 October]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is to call for the student contribution charge to be reduced by €1,000 in its submission to the government ahead of Budget 2022 …” (more)

[Mairead Maguire, University Times, 5 October]

“Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the third-level student contribution also known as the registration fee by €500; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 13 July]

“NUI Galway Students’ Union has joined students across the country in calling for an end to the extortionate €3,000 Student Contribution Fee. The fee means students in the Republic of Ireland pay the highest undergraduate fees in the European Union …” (more)

[Michael Malone, Galway Daily, 3 June]

“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of SUSI funding that goes towards covering the student contribution charge in each year since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 29 April]

“Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if leaving certificate 2020 students who have been awarded an upgraded college course having received a higher leaving certificate after sitting the examination will be liable for the student contribution fee of €3,000 when they transfer to year one of their upgraded course in 2021; if such students are liable, his views on whether it is unfair to charge twice for year one; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 17 February]

“Over 2,000 Trinity students have signed a students’ union petition calling for a reduction to the annual contribution charge. 2,400 students have signed the petition from Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) which is calling on the government to reduce the student contribution charge of €3,000 …” (more)

[Lauren Boland, Trinity News, 3 February]

“University fees will not rise during the lifetime of this Government, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said. Irish students currently face annual fees of up to €3,000 to attend college, a rate that is among the highest in Europe …” (more)

[James Ward, Belfast Telegraph, 23 December]

“Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it will be ensured that college registration fees are reduced in line with the reduction in face-to-face contact with students by lecturers and blended learning; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 1 October]

“NUI Galway Students’ Union has joined USI and NUS-USI in the launch of the Education for All campaign which is calling for immediate action on Higher Education funding. The organisation that represents 374,000 students across the island of Ireland has written an open letter to Minister Simon Harris asking him to take action on a number of key areas …” (more)

[Michael Malone, Galway Daily, 21 September]

“Students across the island of Ireland have today kicked-off a series of actions aimed at urging their TDs to sign a pledge committing to six actions as part of the Union of Students in Ireland’s new Education for All campaign. The USI, which represents 374,000 students in Ireland, has written to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris calling on him to take action on the key issues that prevent many from accessing third level education …” (more)

[USI, 21 September]

“Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to abolish third level registration fees in view of the fact that many students will not be attending lectures as normal, will have extra IT costs due to online learning and will find it more difficult to find work; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil debates, 9 September]

“Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will elaborate on his recent statement that student contribution fees are too high; and the timeline for the reduction of these fees …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 9 September]

“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost in 2020 if the student contribution charge was reduced by €100, €200, €500, €1000 and €3000, respectively …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 8 September]

“Last week it was confirmed that third-level institutions will be permitted to charge students full registration fees for the coming year despite widespread restrictions on on-campus learning and facilities. The decision by University College Dublin (UCD) to charge students €3,000 or more for ‘blended learning’ has provoked criticism from UCD Student’s Union (UCDSU) President and Welfare Officer …” (more)

[Gemma Farrell, College Tribune, 10 September]

“Student unions across Ireland have expressed their outrage as universities and colleges intend to keep registration fees high despite the impact of COVID-19 on third level education …” (more)

[Ali Condon, Extra.ie, 6 September]

“Third-level students are one of the many groups within society who have been forced to make compromises in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Yes, our social lives have been significantly curtailed. But even more costly than that has been the loss of months of in-person teaching – with no clear path to its return …” (more)

[Eimear Finan, University Times, 1 September]

“Student registration fees are ‘too high’ and will be looked at over the lifetime of the Government, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said. As students prepare for the college year, he insisted the Susi grant system will be flexible to ‘take on board if a family’s income has changed due to Covid-19’ …” (more)

[Catherine Devine, Independent, 1 September]

“The president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has criticised the government for giving colleges the freedom to charge students with registration fees of up to €3,000. Minister for Education Norma Foley came under fire yesterday for saying that colleges would be allowed to charge full fees for this year if they wished to, regardless of how much time students spend on campus …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 31 August]

“The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has said he is committed to working to reduce third level fees. Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Simon Harris said the registration fee for students is ‘too high’ and he would like to see fees addressed during his tenure as minister …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 31 August]