Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think as a political system we have shirked our responsibilities on this for far too long. There is a sense of "is there anything to be said for another report?"; that seems to be the echo that comes from this place from all parties. Mr. Cassels did a very good body of work. An all-party committee met and decided to refer it for an economic evaluation. My predecessors have now commended that with European Commission input, and it is due back at the start of 2021. I want to settle the question during my time here. I want the Government to settle the question. Core funding for higher education is too low. Equally, cost is a barrier and we cannot have either.

My instinct is not to pre-empt what is to come out of the report - I do not like the idea of the student loan attached to education. There might be some merit in being able to take out a student loan to help with some of the costs of being a student. I do not like the idea of students emerging from third level education heavily indebted. We need to regard an undergraduate degree as a continuation of our education system and then provide better financial supports for people at a postgraduate level. Next year, 2021, needs to be the year in which we settle this question.