Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That budget measure could have the effect of wiping out courses in colleges of further education. If the Government - and, particularly, the economic management council - had engaged in proper structured dialogue with stakeholders in the first instance, these kinds of cut might have been avoided. The students in this case are vulnerable and need more protection than most.

The Taoiseach's current dialogue with groups external to the Government is not working. The Government is becoming progressively out of touch with the reality of people's lives.

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