Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Dolan stated that students are at the heart of all higher education and there is no doubt an increasing number of students now wish to go to third level education. Do the officials believe the general scheme includes enough protection in respect of students' rights? If not, what further protections would they like to see included? I am aware that this has been addressed but I would like to flesh it out a little more because students must be at the centre here. It is their future and their education. Maybe we should be doing more to encourage people to go to third level education. It is not just for the members of one class in society, it is for absolutely everybody. I really feel it is now coming back to where it was perhaps 20 years when only people who were able to afford it got the chance to go to third level. We must remain cognisant of that. I raised this matter at previous meetings and we will be bringing some of the third level colleges and universities back in to discuss this specific issue. This should be affordable for all and available to all. The officials might give me a run-down on that.