Election 2024: Simon Harris says Fine Gael will abolish third level fees

On the general election campaign’s fifth day, Taoiseach Simon Harris told an Instagram Live video, when asked why college fee reductions could not be made permanent: “I’ll let you in on a little secret, yes we will. I think we really need to phase out third level fees.”
He added: “I am going to do that, that is absolutely my intention.”
Earlier, the Fine Gael battle rolled through Offaly, while Sinn Féin put forward its proposals to make housing affordable and to bring home ownership “back into reach for working people”. Fianna Fáil leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin spent the day canvassing with candidates in Dublin.
Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe has accused Fianna Fáil of inflating figures in its election manifesto by as much as €5.2 billion.
Opposition parties have rounded on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for “complacency” and “arrogance”, as campaign events continue countrywide.
The Green Party launched its manifesto and Labour unveiled its finance policy, pledging to spend €7 billion of the windfall funds from the Apple Tax case funds on housing.
People Before Profit outlined their policies around disability reform, while Aontú presented their immigration policies. The Social Democrats unveiled their general election campaign in Dublin 2, where the party said the establishment of a ministry for disability and the building of 50,000 affordable homes a year would be its “red lines” for entering any potential government.
That brings Tuesday’s coverage of the fifth day of the general election campaign to a close.
We’ll back again tomorrow to keep you informed on the latest developments from the campaign trail as the November 29th polling day edges ever closer.
From Jack Horgan-Jones:
Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe has accused Fianna Fáil of inflating figures in its election manifesto by as much as €5.2 billion.
The intervention by Mr Donohoe, who is also Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, marks an escalation in tensions between the two Coalition partners as battle lines are drawn over economic credibility.
In a statement released on Tuesday night by Fine Gael, Mr Donohoe said Fianna Fáil’s numbers do not add up.
“A close examination of the Fianna Fáil manifesto throws up a number of questions that simply cannot be ignored.
“The costing of the document, which is probably best described as sparse at very best, has figures inflated by as much as €5.2 billion, with no credible explanation given.”
From Pat Leahy and Sarah Burns:
Elsewhere tonight, Opposition parties have rounded on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for “complacency” and “arrogance”, as campaign events continue countrywide.
Speaking at the launch of her party’s campaign, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said there is “an arrogance in the Government parties thinking they have this election sewn up”.
She said that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are “are already talking about the ministerial offices they want to take and when they want to be taoiseach. They’re taking voters for granted.”
Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash said: “The complacency with which Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are treating this election campaign smacks of the height of arrogance. This campaign isn’t over and it should be a battle of ideas, not a soundbite slagathon … Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should cop on and treat the electorate with the respect they deserve.”
It was a brief online appearance from the Taoiseach in the end but you can watch it back in a reel here.
From Jennifer Bray:
Harris has revealed in an Instagram Live video that Fine Gael intends to promise an abolition of third-level fees.
”I am going to do that, that is absolutely my intention”.
He had earlier confirmed the plans on the live feed, saying he was letting his followers in on a manifesto “secret”.
Questions coming in over Harris’s Instagram have already ranged from the abolition of USC to what the Taoiseach’s favourite dinner is (takeaway cod and chips).
The TikTok Taoiseach Simon Harris has hoped on Instagram this evening to answer questions live from the public.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the Social Democrats unveiled their election campaign.
A senior ministry for disability and 50,000 affordable homes a year are among the party’s red lines if going into government.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns urged voters to give the Social Democrats “a strong mandate” to go in and wield as much influence as possible in the next government.
Ms Cairns also criticised the government parties for acting as if the election is “sewn up”.
“I see them even talking about which ministries they want, who might go first as taoiseach, eyeing up their coalition partners – all of these kind of things is astounding to see,” she said.
“If there’s anything I learned from the last election, a lot can change in three weeks.”
Flanked by her party’s candidates at a campaign event in Dublin, she said they would speak to all parties after the election, but urged voters to “vote left, transfer left”.
Ms Cairns said 50,000 affordable purchase homes a year and a senior ministry for disability would be among the party’s “deal breaker” requests in any possible government formation talks.
She said it was “quite disappointing” that Fine Gael was setting out Help to Buy and the First Home scheme as their red-line issue.
“It is a scheme that has put petrol on the flames of a housing disaster, and basically increased the price of housing.
“It’s like giving somebody a tiny shovel to get out of a massive hole.”
Asked about the possibility of going into government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, Ms Cairns said: “This is the first time no political party is standing enough candidates to have a majority in government.
“We have to be reasonable about the reality of this, there’s going to be a coalition. It’s about what can we get into that programme for government.”
She added: “We know that there has to be compromise.”
She said that one-off measures in the budget were a “massive waste of public money”.
“I think a lot of people see through this kind of style of campaigning, the one-off payments that evaporate so fast when cost of living is so high. I think people would like to see that investment and future proofing.
“A public model of childcare – lots of people can’t even access childcare – having genuinely affordable housing, these are the things that we would prioritise over indiscriminately splashing cash around, trying to buy people’s votes.
“I think that the government has miscalculated that, I think that people see through it and they don’t want to be bought.”
Ms Cairns, who is heavily pregnant while canvassing to be re-elected in the Cork South West constituency, said that the campaign would be a “juggling act”.
“In a very competitive constituency, having gone into this role and the pregnancy as well, but all we can do is play it day by day, and so far so good.
“I’m very grateful to have such a supportive party. It’s always been very supportive of women in politics, obviously founded by two incredible women, and so it is what it is.
“I mean, if I could pick, I wouldn’t pick this timing, it’s not ideal, but it is what it is.” – PA
Our Election Daily podcast from our Inside Politics team has just gone live. Harry McGee and Sarah Burns, who have accompanied politicians from several parties as they have canvassed for votes in the past week, joined Hugh Linehan to talk about the issues that are coming up on doorsteps.
The next government will need to put forward “a new deal” to support farmers, the Irish Farmers’ Association has said.
Francie Gorman, president of the IFA, told the Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald on Tuesday that the farming sector is facing a “huge challenge” in attracting the next generation of farmers.
Mr Gorman said this is due to a combination of falling income and better opportunities in the economy “making it very difficult for the next generation to commit to come home farming” .
He said analysis it conducted over recent months showed that farming incomes were down 34 per cent over the last six years.
“Whether it’s the work of the EU commission or whoever forms the next government – we do need a new deal that’s going to support farmers,” he said.
“A deal that recognises and regards farmers that are doing the work and producing the food.”
At the Labour Party’s finance launch today, it was announced the party would spend €7 billion of the windfall funds from the Apple Tax case funds on housing, including €6 billion to set up a State Construction Company, with an additional €1 billion for water infrastructure and servicing of land.
Spokesman Ged Nash said the party will establish an Independent Standing Commission on Taxation and Social Welfare to provide annual reports on the cost of tax expenditures, review efficacy of tax breaks and identify potential loopholes in the tax code.
Mr Nash said the party would return the Universal Social Charge (USC) to “what it started out as” – a health contribution with the funds ring-fenced for the health service.
The party will also introduce a €150 million Freedom to Learn Fund to provide free part- time degrees and masters courses.
Labour Senator Marie Sherlock said that with the State construction company the party will directly employ design teams and construction workers.
It would also spend €6 billion on climate measures, including €2.5 billion for a national retrofitting plan along with energy efficiency upgrades in the public and community sector, SMEs, apartments, and in approved housing bodies.
People who vote for Sinn Féin are “not second class citizens” and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should demonstrate “a little bit of respect” for them, according to Mary Lou McDonald.
The Sinn Féin leader’s remarks came as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael continue to say they would not go into Coalition with her party.
She encouraged people to offer transfers to “progressive” candidates “on the left” who “share our desire and our ambition for a new government to sort out housing in particular, but also healthcare, child care, all of the burning issues, the cost of living crisis, that’s bearing down so heavily on people.”
She said her party wants a government “beyond” Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and that “after a century of those two parties dominating and running government, that the time is right now for a change.”
Asked if this position was because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have said they won’t go into Government with Sinn Féin, she said: “if I was to listen to the Coalition parties, I wouldn’t get up out of bed in the morning.
“They can’t pass a microphone without stating how appalled they are and how they will never, ever, ever speak to Sinn Féin.
“They were at that in the last election as well.”
She said: “a lot of people vote for Sinn Féin, rely on us to represent them.
“I would ask Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to try and muster at least a little bit of respect for the communities and the voters that vote for us”.
Her remarks came as a press conference where Sinn Féin was highlighting its affordable housing proposals.
She claimed that neither Fine Gael nor Fianna Fáil can be trusted on housing and that Sinn Féin would deliver 370,000 new homes between private and public, affordable housing.
A brother of Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness is running in the upcoming general election in same constituency, potentially placing them against each other.
Eugene McGuinness, already a city councillor in the area, was re-elected to the position earlier this year, securing the third-largest amount of first preference votes. He now intends to run for a seat as a TD.
Vision Ireland is calling on all general election candidates to consider people who are blind or vision impaired when hanging up their posters.
A survey found that 77 per cent of respondents who are blind or vision impaired have been injured by footpath obstacles, such as low-hanging posters.
When posters are placed below the regulation height of 2.3 metres, they can cause injury, Vision Ireland said. Kevin Kelly, head of policy, said it was “unacceptable that some candidates are continuing to create these hazards”. Year on year the height regulation was being “ignored,” he said.
Speaking to reporters on the way into a meeting with the IFA’s national council in Dublin, Taoiseach Simon Harris questioned elements of Fianna Fáil’s election manifesto.
Mr Harris pointed to Fianna Fáil’s pledge to decriminalise the possession of cannabis for personal use.
“I do think when it comes to things like drugs and decriminalisation, we need to be very careful of these things. I’d be very interested to know the views of the ICGP (the College of General Practitioners),” he said.
Mr Harris said there hadn’t been much detail around the plan and it was “a sensitive issue”.
“It’s an important issue. We always have to take a health led approach to addiction, he said.
“Of course we do. But at the same time, when government is pursuing a number of initiatives from a public health point of view around smoking and around vapes, it sounds counterintuitive to me that there would be mixed messages sent in relation to cannabis.”
Earlier, Tánaiste Micheál Martin sidestepped questions from farmers as to whether Fianna Fáil would re-enter government with the Green Party.
People Before Profit have also launched their disability justice election manifesto in Dublin. They say they would:
Lower immigration and swifter deportation of asylum seekers whose claims are rejected were among the pledges made by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín when he launched the party’s immigration policy in Dublin this morning.
Mr Tóibín said Aontú’s tougher policies would cut the numbers of asylum seekers coming to Ireland and make sure that if their claim failed, they would be deported as quickly as possible.
But he also said the numbers of people coming from foreign countries legally on work permits should fall, Pat Leahy reports back.
The Aontú leader stressed that many people here on work permits were “making a very valuable contribution to Irish society”, citing the number of foreign-born people working in the health service as “the biggest example of that”.
“There’s no doubt our plan is to provide help for those who really need help but in making it stricter we will see fewer people coming to the country, and that would be an important outcome of this plan,” he said.
Asked about people from foreign countries coming here on work permits, Mr Tóibín said: “There’s a physics to this. There’s a physical resource limits to the state currently … The reality is, there is significant pressure on communities and it’s important that we try to have a manageable, sustainable system, and I think most people in the country would see that.”
Radio Kerry report that a general election candidate has reported to gardaí that 16 of her posters have been taken down and stolen. Independent candidate Michelle Keane says the election posters were removed in Castleisland last Friday.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil candidate Linda Gordon Kelleher says she’s aware of one of her posters being burned close to Killarney National Park.
They’re among five general election candidates running in Kerry who’ve said their posters have been removed or damaged.
Emer McLysaght brings us 14 reasons why teachers deserve all the respect in the world – it’s well worth a read.
Aontú are this morning launching what it describes as “strict, speedy and practical Immigration policies”. It comes as canvassers in different constituencies have told The Irish Times that immigration is still coming up on the doors, proving it is still a big issue for the public.
Here are some headline promises from that Aontú launch:
A record number of women will contest the upcoming election, Dr Adrian Kavanagh says. He now has 232 selected and declared women candidates listed on his webpage.
Women for Election have also been in touch this morning to point out there are at least two women candidates running in every constituency.
The 2020 general election was the first time there were women candidates in every constituency. Nominations formally close at noon this Saturday, November 16th, after which point the final details of all candidates running will be available.
The Politico Brussels Playbook newsletter leads today with the plummeting “New Energy” sign at the Fine Gael housing policy launch yesterday.
“It’s only Tuesday, and perhaps the first working day of the week for those of you who got a day off for Nov. 11. So spare a thought for the (former, we assume) advance staffer who set up Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris’ podium and attached a sign reading “new energy” – only to watch that sign fall off with a thud just as Harris promised “an incredible way forward.” There but for the grace of God goes Brussels Playbook.”
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is meeting the IFA this morning. Sarah Burns reports that IFA president Francie Gorman opened the event and said farmers like low-airline flights but also like teachers as well, which was met with a lot of laughs from the audience.
Jack Horgan-Jones is at the launch of the Green Party manifesto this morning, and sends us this picture and update: Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman says his party “is the best value vote out there … trust us to deliver in the next government as we have in this one”.
There they are now, casually waving their manifestos in the air, as per this picture from RTÉ’s Paul Cunningham.
The Green Party has just launched its election manifesto. Here are some promises that have jumped out to us:
On the Free State podcast, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald asks: “Why wouldn’t you give someone else a chance? Like, why would you not? Why would it be that it has to be Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, tweedledum or tweedledee? This guy or that guy?”
In our In The News podcast with Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times crime correspondent Conor Gallagher discusses what Gerry Hutch’s campaign might look like in Dublin Central, his chances of winning a seat and why he has set his sights on political office. Have a listen here while we wait for the first set pieces of the day to get under way.
Don’t forget that we have compiled profiles of all 43 constituencies, so if you’re wondering who is running in yours or what is happening, check them out here. I have also put together a scene-setter here. The 34th Dáil will be the largest in the history of the State. Following recommendations from the Electoral Commission, the number of Dáil seats has increased by 14, from 160 to 174. In line with this, the number of constituencies increases from 39 to 43, with each constituency having between three and five seats.
Today is the last day that you can register to vote. If you have any questions about how you can do this or who you should contact, Sarah Burns has put together a very comprehensive Q&A here.
The chief executive of the Electoral Commission, Art O’Leary, has acknowledged that “there is work to be done” in the co-ordination of the 31 separate electoral registers in the country, Vivienne Clarke reports.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Leary said there was a plan under way to “fix” any issues and that research was ongoing to provide a better indication of “the state of the register”.
“I think it’s safe to say that there is work to be done. Accuracy and completeness is one of the priorities of An Coimisiún Toghcháin. So in the coming years we’re hoping that we’ll have a register that will be much more reflective of the voting population in this country.”
We have some early reaction coming in following last night’s housing debate on RTÉ, Ronan McGreevy reports.
Prof Michelle Norris, who has been the chair of the Housing Finance Agency on two occasions and is a member of the Housing Commission, believes a State construction company is a bad idea. It is being championed by the Labour Party and has support across other Opposition parties.
She posted on X: “Pity the Katie Hannon show debate on housing was distracted by the terrible proposal to set up a state construction company. This would deliver no additional homes but just transfer building capacity from the private to the public sector and probably increase costs in the process.”
A quirky one: people would get help with the cost of repairs to broken-down dishwashers, glitchy laptops and banjaxed bicycles under an election pledge from the Green Party. Cormac McQuinn reports here that the party is promising to cover 50 per cent of repair costs up to a maximum payment of €100 to the person with the broken item as part of an effort to reduce waste.
A general election candidate in South Tipperary has vowed not to be deterred or intimidated by sinister elements who last night began burning some of his election posters and daubing offensive slogans across others.
Barry Roche reports that Fine Gael Cllr Michael Murphy said he was genuinely shocked when he discovered someone was driving around the village of Cloneen near Fethard in south Tipperary on Monday night and setting his posters alight. Read Barry’s story here.
Our early Inside Politics general election digest should be landing in your email inbox shortly, but if you simply can’t wait for that, you can read it here. The housing representatives of the six political parties appeared on RTÉ’s Upfront with Katie Hannon programme last night to outline how they would address the housing and homelessness crisis.
The show heard from members of the public with differing experiences: some were facing extremely uncertain futures and living in homeless accommodation, others got lucky and secured housing through a co-operative or cost-rental scheme. The first question that is often asked after any big campaign debate is: who won? The answer is: it depends. Have a read of the digest to find out why. Meanwhile, Tim O’Brien filed a full news report from the debate that you can read here.
Good morning and welcome to day five of the 2024 general election campaign. Jennifer Bray here from the political team, highly caffeinated but ready to go.
What’s in the political diary today? The Green Party will launch their manifesto and Labour will launch their finance policy. People Before Profit will outline their policies around disability reform. Aontú will outline their immigration policies, while the Social Democrats will launch their general election campaign in Dublin 2.
The Fine Gael battle bus will roll through Offaly while Sinn Féin will launch their proposals to make housing affordable and to bring home ownership “back into reach for working people.” Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will spend the day canvassing with candidates in Dublin.
The Bar of Ireland will also hold a general election hustings on the topic of justice.