Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the survey done by the Deputy and it is important to directly hear the voices of students. In 2015, the State was investing approximately €1.4 billion of Exchequer funds in higher education and that has now risen to €1.8 billion. When we add the SUSI costs, the figure rises to above €2 billion. We need to do more and the programme for Government commits us to doing more.

We can consider the SUSI support schemes. I remember when SUSI was introduced. It brought about much improvement as it removed fragmentation around the country but there are anomalies that we need to address. These must all be part of the normal budgetary process. I can give an example. SUSI does not take into consideration childcare costs, and this could present a barrier to many families, particularly one-parent families, in accessing education. We must introduce reforms relating to postgraduate supports and for part-time learners. This is an indication of my thinking as we approach the budgetary process for this year and in the lifetime of this Government.

See this speech in context