Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for offering me his slot.

I thank the witnesses for their opening statements. I also thank the students who were before the committee in the earlier session. Obviously, this is an important issue.

Before I mention specifics, I wish to make a general point around the impact of Brexit on the figures mentioned. Before Brexit, I imagine that the number of students from the Republic going to Northern Ireland was significantly higher. The witnesses might comment on the impact of Brexit in this regard. Before Brexit, there were concerns around Horizon Europe funding and universities in the Republic, Northern Ireland and England being able to collaborate to acquire this funding. Thankfully, Stormont has been re-instituted and there will be the opportunity, through the North-South ministerial bodies and through the Ministers for Education, to be able to discuss this issue and be able to take some of the witnesses' recommendations forward there.

On the specifics, awareness clearly is a big issue. I am interested to hear whether the career guidance policies in the Republic and in Northern Ireland give enough information. Bearing in mind the research and the recommendations being made on the issue of the fourth A-level, in the case where Northern Ireland students go through the CAO process, are career guidance teachers equipped with enough knowledge on how the process works? That is hugely important.

As for education fairs, are colleges from Northern Ireland attending these excellent fairs in the Republic and vice versa? This is about reaching out and promoting awareness.

Cross-Border qualification recognition around healthcare courses in particular obviously is important to ensure that people have good employment opportunities and so forth.

I appreciate that the accommodation situation is difficult in Dublin, Galway and in Cork and policies are being put in place to rectify that. I am unsure as to what the situation is like in Belfast, for example. Is it better and are there better opportunities there that students in the Republic need to be aware of? We must try to ensure that on the island of Ireland, everybody has the opportunity to have a good third level and further level experience, whether it is in Northern Ireland or in the Republic. It is about ensuring that the opportunities to further develop and grow are in place.

I thank the Chair.