Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I think I agree with everything the Deputy said. I thank her for welcoming the positive changes that have been made. I would be the first to acknowledge that they are a start and there is much more to do, as the SUSI review shows clearly and comprehensively. The good thing about the SUSI review is that we now know what we need to do. For the first time, we have identified the real cost of education in further education and training, at an undergraduate level and at a postgraduate level, and looked at how our grant system compares. The long and short of it is that the SUSI grant system was largely fit for purpose when it was introduced ten years ago, but the cost of living and the cost of accommodation have changed in that time. We are working to respond to that.

The Deputy made a fair point about the earnings cap, which comes up a lot. The earnings cap recognises that a student in full-time education is in full-time education. At the same time, everything has changed and the €4,500 figure seems low compared with when it was set. As the Deputy rightly said, it has not been reviewed in a long time. We will look at it in the pre-Estimates discussion. My gut feeling is that it could be increased without having any unintended consequences. It would be welcomed by students, by parents and, as the Deputy says, by sectors of our economy that want students to work part-time.

I am grateful for the Deputy's submission on that. On second-level change, we started a process with the CAO now having the visibility of apprenticeships and further education. A number of our schools are rolling out apprenticeship taster courses, as it were, at transition year level. I think we will have 30 being rolled out with ETBs through Solas. I will get the details for the Deputy. I am aware that KWETB does that. Of course, there is a really important piece around senior cycle reform and the exciting agenda the Minister, Deputy Foley is pursuing. That can help broaden the discussion around education and skills and maybe allow for more flexibility between what was the traditional leaving certificate and the leaving certificate vocational programme. We are very eager to do more on CAO reform. That website and process has narrowed the discussion too much in Ireland. I am absolutely determined that we change it. When I talk about future funding, that is going to be a key ask of ours. There has to be parity and visibility at the very least for students around all their options. It is not accidental that we have shortages in the construction, hospitality and green skills sectors. We need to fix that. I will send on some details on those taster programmes to the Deputy.