FURTHER AND HIGHER Education Minister James Lawless has deflected criticism of the lack of clarity surrounding student fees onto Sinn Féin in a “bizarre” late-night letter addressed to the party’s higher education spokesperson.

Lawless’s letter accused Sinn Féin TD Donna McGettigan of stoking uncertainty for parents and students.

McGettigan said that she received “a long-winded rant in an absolutely bizarre letter” from the Minister that failed to clarify the ongoing issue of the fate of student fees for the upcoming academic year.

“Instead, he accuses Sinn Féin of causing uncertainty and asks us to provide clarity. What an absolute cheek from a tone deaf minister,” she said.

McGettigan added that her party have been clear on their stance on reducing student fees – proposals which have been “fully costed” by the Department of Public Expenditure. Sinn Féin had proposed to reduce fees to €1,500 for the upcoming academic year and to have them scrapped within two years.

The letter, which was sent to McGettigan last night and has been seen by The Journal, accused Sinn Féin of hypocrisy given differential fees in the north of the country, and requested that the party publish its full budget strategy.

Lawless has come under fire after he indicated that student fees would not be cut from €3,000 to €2,000 as they have for the last number of years, speaking on a RTÉ radio programme last week. 

Despite the measure being described as a ‘once-off’ fee reduction by Lawless and others within Fianna Fáil, it has been in place for three years after being established under then-Minister Simon Harris. 

TDs from Fianna Fáil’s main coalition partner Fine Gael have also come out against Lawless’s hinting at the restoration of fee costs to what they were previously. Tánaiste Simon Harris earlier this week advised parents and students: “Pay in instalments and let’s see where the budget brings us to.”

Lawless further accused Sinn Féin of having “a poor track record” on budgetary strategies.

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“The public deserve better than cheap headlines and uncosted commitments,” Lawless wrote. “Given the scale of the promises you are now making I am requesting that you publish a fully funded and fully costed alternative budget that sets out in detail how you will finance a cost of living package.”

He said that otherwise Sinn Féin’s commitments on student fees “are simply not credible and risk misleading the public and creating uncertainty for parents and students.”

McGettigan said, “It is long past time Minister James Lawless took responsibility for the mess he created this week and tell students if their fees are going up €1000 or not. That would be a better use of his time than sending me a rant in a lengthy letter on a Friday night asking me to do his job for him.”

Fianna Fáil Minister of State Niall Collins defended his party’s stance and Lawless’s letter on the matter on RTÉ’s Saturday radio programme this afternoon following criticism from Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy.