Reductions to college fees may be scrapped to cover Department of Education overspending
Ellen O'Donoghue
Promised reductions to college fees may have to be scrapped.
Certain measures in Budget 2027 could be abandoned due to the decision to levy each department to cover overspending at the Department of Education.
The Government had previously promised to permanently cut college fees every year, reducing them by €500 last year.
Reducing the €2,500 student contribution fee by another €500 would cost roughly €50 million each year.
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless told Newstalk that he will do his best to avoid cutting fees.
"We will see what allocations are being given to each department, in my case, Further and Higher Education. We will look at the spending ability that is available to me, we will look at the many, many things that I would like to do with that, including cutting fees, but in many other things as well," Lawless said.
"And we will see what the figures say, and then we will go into negotiations, putting our best foot forward, to secure the best possibility for students across fees, across grants, across supports, and across skills and things like apprenticeships."
However Lawless added that it is too early to say what will get cut from the Budget.
"In this situation that we have at the moment, whatever the department has to contribute to a levy to support the department of education, obviously, that places additional challenges with all of our spending planned.
"But I’d say it’s far too early, six months out from the Budget to say where exactly that might fall, what effect that might have, but it does make for a more challenging situation."
In response to a parliamentary question on college fee reductions last week, Lawless said any future cuts could be at risk, due to other Government departments currently having to make up for their overspend.
The Irish Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that Government sources say James Lawless' department will not be able to "put out big measures" in Budget 2027 if levies are imposed.
It follows backlash to last year's budget, when it was revealed ahead of time that a temporary €1,500 reduction to the €3,000 fees was being replaced with a permanent €500 cut.
Meanwhile, the Minister is considering a new type of loan for healthcare students, which would have part of the debt written off if they remain working in Ireland after graduation, according to the Irish Independent.
