Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

The Government must seriously consider increasing investment in education. As we enter turbulent economic waters, we must not take our eyes off education. On a recent visit to Silicon Valley to promote investment in the technology park in Tralee, I noted the importance in competitive terms of maintaining funding in the education system. Total unit labour costs are €26 in Silicon Valley, whereas they are €28 here and €6 in Poland. It is cheaper to employ people in Silicon Valley, supposedly the most expensive place in the world, than it is here. We must persuade companies located there to invest in Ireland, one of the most expensive countries in the world to employ people. To do so, we must offer something else, which will require having a workforce that is educated, knowledgeable and ahead of its peers in other countries.

The children of those who are awaiting the outcome of citizenship applications do not qualify for grant aid. I was contacted last week by a young woman who has been attending college for one year. Her mother, through various sources, accumulated enough money to allow her daughter to start college but she now has debts which may force her to leave college in October. The mother is eligible to be granted citizenship and her application will be approved in two or three years. The student, however, cannot acquire citizenship until her mother's application is approved. Surely provision should be made to accommodate this category of people. The children of eligible applicants for citizenship who are waiting for their file to be dealt with should qualify for grant support.

In the case in question the local authority in County Kerry has been very supportive. I received a letter yesterday indicating that it would fund students from this category of people if it were able to do so. I ask the Minister to examine this matter. I will provide details of this and another case of a person awaiting naturalisation who encountered a similar problem. While some provision is made for asylum seekers and others, I will bring to the attention of departmental officials a number of categories of people which should be examined in the context of the Bill.

The Student Support Bill is 2008 is important legislation. We should do all in our power to facilitate young people to attend college and encourage parents to send their children to college. We cannot ignore education because it is our main advantage. We must invest sufficient resources in it and facilitate and encourage people to attend third level education because the more people we have with certificates, diplomas, degrees and postgraduate qualifications, the greater will be our advantage over our competitors. The world has become a much smaller place. When one considers the quality of education in India, China and other emerging nations, as well as among our competitors in eastern Europe, Ireland retains a competitive edge. I thank the Minister for introducing the Bill, which I am certain will receive universal support.

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