'Embarrassing moment' for Government as livid students gather at Leinster House

Muhammad Janjua and Jessica Cullinan at the student's protest outside Leinster House this evening. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins

The posters and placards held aloft at the gates of Leinster House did not pull any punches, as students gathered to protest against any hikes to the student contribution fee.

Chants of “shame” rang out on Kildare St as TDs and students took to the megaphone to attack the Government, while “James Lawless has gone fucking lawless” read one sign, referring to the higher education minister as the row over third level fees rumbles on.

Senior opposition figures such as Mary Lou McDonald, Ivana Bacik, and Paul Murphy were in attendance, while students came to Dublin from colleges and universities all over the country.

The anger over fees was sparked by the higher education minister, who told RTÉ in late June that “as it stands”, the fee cut of recent years would not be replicated due to the lack of another cost-of-living package.

The normal €3,000 fee has been cut by €1,000 through cost-of-living measures but is now due to revert back.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik speaking to students at the protest. Several opposition TDs were in attendance.  Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

There was raw anger at the protest, with the students gathered furiously criticising the Government for rowing back on its direct commitments to cut fees.

Labour Senator Laura Harmon, who organised the protest and is a former head of the Union of Students in Ireland, said the aim was to send a “clear message” to Government that student fees cannot increase.

“It often takes the whole family to put somebody through college and €1,000 is a lot of money,” Ms Harmon said.

Ms Harmon added that students have been “targeted and shown a lot of disrespect” by the Government .

It’s an embarrassing moment for the Government I think and it shows they are out of touch with families and students who are trying to budget for college next September.

She highlighted the “discord” within Government over Mr Lawless’ comments last month, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil launching potshots at one another.

University College Cork (UCC) Students’ Union president Alex Angland said he was appalled by what appeared to be a “huge reversal by the Government at the final hurdle”.

Mr Angland said the cuts in recent years had really helped students struggling with “financial hardship”.

He highlighted a 2024 report that outlined that over a quarter of UCC students have gone to lectures hungry.

Meanwhile, Matt Mion, University College Dublin Students’ Union’s education officer, opted to crumple up a copy of the programme for government.

“What are they doing now, they’re reversing it. I have it here, I have the paper it’s written on and it’s not worth shit,” Mr Mion said.

“Students have been shafted.”

However, Mr Lawless has pushed back, saying the Government was committed to reducing the fees over the lifetime of the coalition, as set out in the programme for government.