'He’s not the minister anymore': Fianna Fáil bristles over Harris student fee push

Coalition tensions escalate as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael diverge on plans for student fees in upcoming budget

Tánaiste, Simon Harris, speaking to the media on a visit to the site of new cost rental apartments in Tallaght. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

A row has erupted between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over a significant “difference of opinion” on student fees ahead of the budget.

Tensions between the two main Coalition parties are rising, with Fianna Fáil frustrated that Tánaiste Simon Harris is overly fixated on his former department.

“He is not the minister [for higher education] any more,” one senior Fianna Fáil source said.

Mr Harris outlined a number of budget priorities, including measures to reduce the cost of education, at a private Fine Gael meeting this week.

While the Tánaiste told party colleagues that no decision on third-level fees has been made yet, he outlined that if a further reduction is rolled out it would apply to the second installment of fees, which would be due early in the new year.

Three months ago, 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'. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

However, higher education minister James Lawless has already publicly claimed that universal fee cuts are “not fair or proportionate” and would take hundreds of millions from universities and colleges.

The Fianna Fáil minister previously said universal cuts to the student contribution fee “may not be the best use of public monies”.

One Fianna Fáil source suggested that Mr Harris may be “setting a trap” for the current minister, as previous cuts to student fees came out of a cost-of-living pot which will not be available as part of this autumn’s budget. The source said: 

There is no cost-of-living package this year, so he might even be setting him [Mr Lawless] up to fail. 

The student contribution was cut by €1,000 on a temporary basis as part of once-off measures to help with the cost of living over the last three budgets. This cost just under €100m each year.

“The mood music coming out of both parties is very different,” one source added when asked about the approach to third-level measures.

Another senior source sarcastically remarked: 

It’s not like the Tánaiste to be flying kites around.

While a cut to fees would be politically popular, a senior Fianna Fáil source warned that its universal nature would mean even the wealthiest students would benefit.

It is understood that Mr Lawless wants to focus on spending his department’s allocated money on targeted supports, such as simplifying the grants system and widening it out to more families who are under the most financial strain.

As an alternative to a universal cut to fees, the main priority for Mr Lawless will be reducing the cost of books, laptops, student accommodation, and travel for those in third-level education.

However, countering this, a Fine Gael senior minister claimed that Mr Lawless should “read the programme for government” which commits to continuing to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government to ease the financial burden on students and families.