Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

John did drop out and there are many more like him around the country who are forced into this position because their families cannot afford to keep them in college and pay for accommodation. The higher education grant has been maintained, but the difficulty is that the cost of accommodation is going through the roof and the majority who have to access accommodation are not on bus routes. Bus Éireann is closing many bus routes which is making it even less possible to commute.

They are outside urban centres and major towns where there is access to institutes of technology and have to rely on commuting or residing in Dublin. What we have, effectively, because the higher education grant has not kept in line with the increasing cost of accommodation and going to college is education apartheid by geography. What is the Minister going to do about this?

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