Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the increase in the allocation for higher education in subhead C4, but the fact remains it is simply not quite enough to address the needs of the higher education sector. With regard to subhead C11 on student grants and support, despite an overall increase in the budget attributed to the higher education sector this year, there has been a fall in the funding allocation under subhead C11 with regard to student support. Why is this the case?

Last week in the Dáil, along with other Deputies, I raised the fact that the lack of investment in student support is resulting in third level institutions pushing more and more of the burden onto students. We saw this recently in the Trinity protests with regard to supplemental examination fees. Only today we have seen that next year, the privately owned Shanowen Square in DCU will charge up to €9,000 for nine months' accommodation. It is not right and something needs to be done because the students are feeling too much of a burden because of a lack of investment and they are being forced to carry the cost.