Danny Kennedy said third level fees are “likely” to rise in Northern Ireland Third level tuition fees in Northern Ireland are “likely” to rise, according to the new Minister for Employment and Learning.
Danny Kennedy said the outcome of a vote in Westminster on plans to increase fees in England to £9,000 a year will have a knock-on effect for Northern Ireland.
He added: “I think my instinct is that it is likely there will be an increase to the tuition fees and I have been warning of that for sometime.
“But the situation is not entirely clear.”
A review of student finance has already concluded that NI fees should remain at current levels. However, Mr Kennedy said this is now being looked at.
He added: “I have asked Joanne Stewart to update her report on student tuition fees as they apply in Northern Ireland in the light of the Brown report.
“I am awaiting the outcome of that.”
All of Northern Ireland’s MPs are expected to vote against the rise in fees in the House of Commons on Thursday but the coalition is expected to win the ballot.
Although the proposals deal specifically with universities in England, politicians have warned this will affect thousands of Northern Ireland students who study there.
Assembly ministers will also have to decide if they plan to follow suit and increase fees across Northern Ireland.
While Mr Kennedy admitted this is “likely”, he said he cannot make a final decision without a budget and hit out at Sinn Fein for holding things up.
He added: “Northern Ireland needs a budget. I do not know how much money my department will have particularly in respect of tuition fees.
“It is vitally important that the party that is holding up this process up of getting a budget, remove their blockages and bring forward a budget so that the Northern Ireland departments, the Northern Ireland ministers and the Northern Ireland people can be made aware as to the implications of the current economic problems we face.”
He denied claims that he has resigned himself to the fact that tuition fees will have to rise but admitted if his budget is cut then it is a “real possibility”.
“The process is and will be, that the executive will take the final decision on this and refer it to the Assembly for endorsement so everyone will share in this,” he said.
“While we are interested in the outcome of the Westminster vote later today and what is happening in Scotland and Wales, we have an real opportunity to create conditions in Northern Ireland and bring forward a Northern Ireland made solution.
“A solution that protects our students and makes it possible that students can obtain places, not on the basis of paying money but on the basis of having the ability to earn.”
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