0:00
Absolutely, and these letters are written at a time when people are being hammered by the rapid
0:04
increases in fuel costs, that we're saying at the minute. And, you know, education is a
0:08
fundamental right. It should not come with the bill attached and it's cruel. It's completely out
0:12
of touch. And it tells working families everything they need to go to know about this government
0:16
and priorities. Budget 26 contained no cost living package. We're in the middle of an
0:21
ever-warsening crisis and families in our face in a fresh financial hit. And we're here in this
0:26
in the office. We're here in it when we're right on the doors. And I just think that the
0:30
government are so out of touch, they don't listen to what the people on the ground are telling them.
0:35
And I'm sure, Donna, you will acknowledge as well that there is quite a level of administration
0:40
fees for whether that's for the State Examination's Commission to publish exam papers year after year
0:46
to publish mock papers. And with the data and the admin that goes with the leaving cert, with
0:51
even the results, with rechecks, with pain and vigilators, I'm sure you're acknowledged that there
0:57
is some cost involved to the State as well. Well, we're calling on the Minister to reverse
1:03
this decision immediately. And I mean, if the government can find billions of tax breaks and
1:06
corporate welfare, they can find the money needed to keep these exam fees abolished. You know,
1:11
this is all about priorities. And right now, this government priorities are nowhere near the kitchen
1:15
tables of working families. And that's what the reality is on the ground. Obviously,
1:21
the payments do have to be made this week. It seems unlikely that they will be reversed.
1:26
Do you think there's any, I know, obviously, you don't want to see a compromise,
1:30
you just want to see them gone, but do you think there's anything the government could do to
1:34
ease pressure at this time, or maybe that might be a halfway house?
1:38
Well, no, we want to abolish that's what we're calling for. We're calling for the Minister
1:42
to reverse this decision immediately before these bills have to be paid. And anybody that has
1:49
paid needs to be refunded. It's cruel. It really is cruel and completely early touch. And as you
1:54
say, there, you know, some, they're saying it could be just, it's only 109 euro per junior trip.
1:59
But as you say, there's people like there with twins. So it's, or they might have more than one
2:04
student in Leven cert and junior cert. So it's not just going to one figure. There could be
2:09
multiple figures hitting the same household at a time when they're actually deciding can they
2:14
even hate their homes?