Harkin and Delargy rail against student tuition fee hike

People Before Profit and Sinn Féin have both demanded the Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons of the DUP, shelve plans that could place a financial burden upon Derry's students.

Councillor Shaun Harkin and Sinn Féin Foyle MLA, Pádraig Delargy, have both insisted that plans to cut student financial support and increase tuition fees be removed from the table.

It was revealed last week that due to the shortfall – caused by the loss of EU funding following Brexit – to the Department of Economy's budget by £65million, a hike in tuition fees was being mooted to make up a portion of the deficit and along with it, student financial support being reduced.

Cllr Harkin slammed the plans as taking a “wrecking ball” to students' future and insisted that such proposals be vigorously opposed.

He said: “The Economy Minister and Stormont Executive need to immediately make clear proposed education cuts are not going to happen.

“Department for the Economy officials have opened up a discussion about reducing university places, increasing tuition fees, slashing student financial support, cutting the number of apprenticeships and ending the Educational Maintenance Allowance.

“After the challenges students and young people have faced over the last number of years, we find these proposals simply incredible.

“They amount to a sweeping attack on students, on young people and on our higher education provision.

“Students have been leading a campaign titled 'Students Deserve Better'. The fact these proposals are even on the table shows how out of touch the political establishment is with the needs of students and young people.

“These are callous proposals at a time when many students are struggling to make ends meet.

“Many students would have their opportunity for university education ripped away. It would impact the push to expand the number of students at Magee. They need to be taken off the table immediately.

“The Tories and Stormont Executive have wasted no time in ripping up promises to 'build back better' out of the pandemic.

“Instead of attacking students, the political establishment should be urgently looking at ways to properly tax billionaires and corporations who have massively increased their wealth during the pandemic.

“We stand fully in solidarity with student union demands for these proposals to be scrapped and will back actions to that effect.

“We cannot allow Stormont to take a wrecking ball to the future of students and young people. The proposals need to be scrapped and binned for good.”

Mr Delargy said that at a time when the North's economy needed more people with skills and qualifications, students should not be made to pay the price on the DUP's gamble on Brexit.

He added: “Sinn Féin will oppose attempts by the DUP economy minister to raise student fees by almost 60 per cent to over £7200.

_{Sinn Féin Foyle MLA, Pádraig Delargy: "The DUP now want to punish students to cover for their own failures and damage to our economy."}

“Students should not pay the price for the Tory/DUP Brexit which will see £65 million of EU funding stripped from the Department of the Economy’s budget.

“Alongside huge hikes to student fees, this would also see support grants scrapped and University and Apprenticeship places cut at a time where we need more people gaining skills and qualifications.

“Not content with acting against the wishes of the majority of people in the North on Brexit, the DUP now want to punish students to cover for their own failures and damage to our economy.

“This is totally unacceptable and Sinn Féin will stand up for students and against this proposal.”

In response, a spokesperson for the Department for Economy said: “As was stated at the time, the figures given in the briefing to the Economy Committee were for planning purposes only, based on the draft Budget settlement.

“No final decisions have been made on future funding for higher education, including tuition fees and student numbers.

“It is a matter for the Executive as a whole to decide on Departmental budget allocations following the public consultation on the draft Budget.”