Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I like horses and I too prefer students. That is why as Minister with responsibility for further and higher education within the first eight weeks in the job the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I have made a number of measures and initiatives to significantly increase the supports going to students. The model we have in place at the moment ensures that those on the lowest incomes, those most at risk of disadvantage, do not pay student contribution fees. We almost have a situation where nearly half of our students are not paying a contribution fee at all. I want to look at how we can build on that and how we can build a sustainable model based on public funding. There is a review due back at the start of next year which we have commissioned with the European Commission. It will provide us with a pathway as to how we can address this issue which, in my view, due to political cowardice across the divide has been avoided for far too long.

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