Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late. There was a lot of traffic but I was listening to the meeting on my way to the House in the car. Ms O'Connor spoke about flexibility and the need for changes in the schemes to ensure that third level institutions, including universities, and further education bodies are welcoming and supportive of all their students. She described the schemes as old and outdated. What would be the best way to change or upgrade them to modern standards? I am sorry if Deputy Tully raised that issue during the part of the meeting I missed. Every week, in this room we learn more.

The importance of staff training was mentioned. That is a huge lacuna. I know lecturers in third level institutions who are not told what to do. They fear they will put a foot wrong and they do not know in what way they should educate. It is bizarre that education institutions are not educating staff and empowering them to be the best teachers they can be. What is the best way to go about empowering everyone on campus to do that?

Ms O'Connor noted that we have seen how flexibility can work during the last two years. What are the greatest lessons from Covid that we can use to improve and make as standard in third level?

What can we make as standard in all public services? I apologise for jumping around many different topics but this is a very important issue. What extra financial aids are there to navigate third level and further education for someone with additional needs. It is outrageous there are no public clinics. We were all poor students at some stage. We would not have been able to afford therapies. It is only due to the paths we take that we do not need extra therapies. I apologise for the rambling. I am trying to get myself settled. I thank the witnesses for their conversation so far and I look forward to hearing their thoughts.