Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

While I know it is not the Minister's area of responsibility, I will start by speaking on behalf of the students in my constituency who are not happy with the way they have been treated in relation to this year's leaving certificate. These students have been hugely impacted by Covid-19. They have had their senior cycle education totally disrupted. Some had underlying conditions which meant they were studying from home more than others. Some had no broadband and no computers or tablets. It is highly unfair that they are not being given the option of a hybrid leaving certificate. Schools have been closed for long periods and teachers and students have been off sick. Let us not forget that these young people have lost two years of living their lives like normal students. Again, I would urge the Minister to discuss this with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley and reconsider the decision.

In the aftermath of Covid-19 thousands of young people are struggling with mental health and addiction issues. Many have fallen out of the school system and have become socially isolated. There are huge waiting lists for psychological and psychiatric services, including counselling. The closure of Cara Lodge in west Cork in 2020 exacerbated an already difficult situation in my own constituency. We need to include the mental health of our young people when we are speaking about higher education. This must be a priority in terms of funding.

One of the main problems faced by students is trying to source accommodation. This is a complication for students every year. There must be some solution found for students who live hours away from college. In Cork South-West we have no public transport infrastructure, unlike the situation in the cities. While we have a private operator who puts on a service for students, he is under severe pressure to keep routes open and working. There is no harm in me fighting in this House for a third level college in west Cork. People from the Beara peninsula, Mizen Head, Sheep's Head and throughout west Cork are travelling up to Cork city and for some, the journey takes two or two and a half hours. There was talk previously of a third level college being set up in Skibbereen and that would be a super location. It would be of great help to those young people who are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to get accommodation in the city.

The Minister must provide clarification and assurances to the Dáil regarding third level funding. The director general of the Irish Universities Association, Mr. Jim Miley, welcomed the Government's Higher Education Authority Bill 2020 but said the issue of serious underfunding of the sector must also be addressed. In fact, Mr. Miley told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science that legislative reform of the higher education sector will be meaningless if institutions do not receive adequate funding. Currently the HEA's core legal function is to allocate recurrent funding to higher education institutions. When the original Act was signed 50 years ago there were approximately 20,000 students in higher education. This has increased to more than 200,00 students today, with the HEA now responsible for a much more extensive and diverse university sector. Let us not forget, within that, to include adequate funding for mental health.

I pay tribute to the third level colleges in Cork. Many students from west Cork are attending them and are getting a very high standard of education. As I said previously, they had a difficult time during the pandemic and there is not enough understanding of that by Government. While I know the leaving certificate is not the responsibility of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, it is an issue that proves how little understanding there is for our young people. Quite a lot of them are angered and hurt by the recent Government decision.

A third level college in west Cork is now a must. I do not want to see our young people walking the streets of Cork, unable to find accommodation. Couch surfing seems to be the way forward. I do not know how many people I met in west Cork who asked me before the colleges reopened if I knew where they could get accommodation in Cork city. It is an area in which I do not have expertise, other than the usual outlets to which I would direct people. I urge the Minister to give serious consideration to opening a third level college in west Cork. We must work towards an understanding that students should not have to travel for two or three hours every weekend or end up sleeping on a couch during the week while trying to educate themselves and go further in life. I would not be doing my job as a public representative if I did not fight on their behalf.

See this speech in context