Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has said its billing process for the coming academic year is “the same” as last year, following controversy surrounding invoices charging €3,000 in student contribution fees.
Third-level fees have been reduced to €2,000 as “once-off” cost-of-living measures for the past three years.
However, Minister for Higher Education James Lawless signalled late last month that the €1,000 reduction to fees would no longer apply after a Government decision that there would be no cost-of-living package in Budget 2026.
The comment sparked backlash among students, unions and Opposition parties, particularly following a commitment in the programme for government to reduce the student contribution over its lifetime.
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After TCD began to invoice students for the upcoming academic year, charging a student contribution of €3,000, several Opposition TDs, including Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, expressed dismay on Wednesday.
The invoice, seen by The Irish Times, also includes a charge of €209.75 for “student levies and charges.”
The invoice also states: “Pay in one instalment.”
Ms McDonald said on X: “We’re already seeing the result of Minister James Lawless’ announcement that college fees will be hiked-up by €1,000,” adding that it will “heap additional stress and pressure” on to students and their families.
Ms McDonald called on the Government to “sort it out fast.”
“Students and their parents need to be told clearly they won’t be hit with this unfair hike,” she said.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Cummins said she was “shocked” that TCD had billed students €3,000, saying, “it’s not good enough to put students and their families under this kind of pressure when the promise was a reduction in fees”.
However, TCD spokeswoman said the billing process for the upcoming academic year is “exactly the same as it was last year and the previous year”.
In previous years, the university has billed €3,000 for student contribution fees as invoices were issued pre-budget.
Students who have paid €3,000 in full before budget announcements in the past have been refunded €1,000.
The spokeswoman said fees are due on September 1st as part of registration, but students are offered the option to pay in three instalments.
“The billing process in Trinity is the same this year as it was in prior years, both in terms of timing and amounts invoiced,” she said.
Mr Lawless said he “fully intends” to reduce the student contribution fee over the lifetime of the Government.
He told the Dáil “the one-off measures, while welcome, were temporary in nature. I am moving to permanent measures that will benefit families and students in the long run.”
