Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for attending. It has been very educational for me to listen to their contributions. Throughout the time we have been holding these meetings, I have spoken about the value of further education, which can be a lifeline for people on the fringes of society such as me, who was born and reared on a halting site. When I was younger, university was not something I had the financial resources to consider, and furthermore, I did not qualify for it. My lifeline was to attend Ballyfermot College of Further Education to study for a QQI qualification in pre-nursing and caring for people with special needs, which I loved. It was not even about the qualifications I got at the end of it, but rather about learning, being in a college setting and wondering what attending university would be like. I genuinely believe in the value of further education. While universities are really important and it almost the norm nowadays to have a level 8 qualification, in the same way that years ago it was the norm to have the leaving certificate, further education can be a lifeline for many disadvantaged communities, people from ethnic-minority groups and people who feel third level education is not for them but who want to get a feel for it.

Our guests mentioned the pathway programmes. Will they speak to those programmes and to how their success is expanding access to higher education? They went on to mention funding to support participation among Travellers and Roma students. Will they elaborate on that funding? It is my understanding there have not been any separate targeted supports for people from minority groups, but it is important we support all ethnic-minority groups to have access to college. Our guests spoke about the value of apprenticeships for workers and it was good to hear them address that issue.