'Not fair or proportionate': Minister all but rules out future cuts to student fees

The programme for government commits to reducing student fees over the lifetime of the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and independent coalition. Picture: iStock

The higher education minister has all but ruled out future cuts to student fees claiming they are “not fair or proportionate” and take hundreds of millions from universities and colleges.

In a major U-turn by the Government, James Lawless said universal cuts of €1,000 to the student contribution fee in the last two budgets “may not be the best use of public monies”.

He said the savings from scrapping the cuts to the fees could pay for thousands of student accommodation apartments or hundreds more courses.

The higher education minister's comments are likely to set him up for a clash with Fine Gael. 

Tánaiste Simon Harris campaigned during the general election to abolish the fees outright.

They are also in contrast to the programme for government, which commits to reducing student fees over the lifetime of the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and independent coalition.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Lawless said fee cuts in previous years were cost-of-living measures and were “not intended to be a permanent solution or to become part of the fabric”.

Higher education minister James Lawless said the savings from scrapping the cuts to the fees could pay for thousands of student accommodation apartments or hundreds more courses.Picture: Niall Carson/PA

“I think that in the same as energy credits were one-offs, we had such welfare measures which were one-offs. We had higher education fees and supports which were one-offs,” Mr Lawless said.

I wouldn’t want anyone to think that they will be continued in perpetuity for no other reason that we did them in the last year.

In particular, Mr Lawless raised the high cost of cutting fees, with an €1,000 cut each year costing around €100m, or €300m to abolish them outright.

“Now, for the same money, you could build thousands of student accommodation apartments. You could introduce hundreds more courses,” Mr Lawless said.

“You could create multiple more places in sought after courses like medicine, therapy, pharmacy, veterinary.” Mr Lawless said he has not made a decision yet, but he does favour more targeted interventions.

“It’s very much one size fits all and I don’t think that’s fair or proportionate,” Mr Lawless said.

“I’m very keen to promote access to education and support people, including financially, but a blunt instrument like [universal fee cuts] takes hundreds of millions away from other parts of the sector and that may not be the best use of public monies.” 

His comments come as the Government is rowing back on cost-of-living measures across the board.

Public expenditure minister Jack Chambers said earlier this month the coalition wants to move away from “ad-hoc temporary supports” like energy credits in future budgets.

However, he did signal that Budget 2026 would need to support families when it comes to energy.