'The government putting college fees up by €500 is a calculated betrayal'

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has slammed the government’s decision to increase college fees by €500 as the cost-of-living crisis continues to spiral out of control.

In the same week that new research shows one in four adults doesn’t have a retirement plan in place, Deputy Doherty said: “Is it any wonder that so many workers cannot afford to plan for retirement when the government is hiking prices all around them?

“The government putting college fees up by €500 is a calculated betrayal of parents and students now that the government is on the far side of the election.

“The Programme for Government contained a clear promise to reduce fees. Families made plans and budgeted based on that commitment. Yet, in the first budget of this government, they will be putting fees back up by €500.

“This comes on the back of the government giving landlords the green light to hike rents every year on students to whatever level they want. It comes on top of the government increasing taxes on home heating oil and gas.

“It comes after the government legislated to increase the price of petrol and diesel. The government’s plan to try and ignore the cost-of-living crisis won’t wash with people. They feel how it impacts them every day. They feel it when they are paying energy bills, renewing their insurance, or doing the food shop.

“They want the government to end the rip-off and get prices under control. The government should support workers and families in the budget, not make things worse.

“Is it any wonder that so many workers cannot afford to plan for retirement when the government is hiking prices all around them. The government must change course and bring forward a plan to reduce, not increase, college fees as part of a wider cost-of-living package to support people through the winter.

“Sinn Féin will set out how the government can and should abolish college fees completely by next year, starting this September as part of our alternative budget proposals. We need action from the government to end the rip-off and give our young people a real chance. Workers and families need to be supported in the budget.”