Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The real problem is that the cap of €4,500 relating to student earnings is extremely low. There is inflation and people are struggling to cope with the cost of living. Students are no different. We have spiralling rent costs, as I have already outlined. It would make sense to do something that would act as an incentive to ensure that we invest in students in this country and that there would not be a situation whereby they are emigrating because they are being forced to leave education here. Unfortunately, the student earning cap is a barrier that forces many students out of third level education because they just cannot pay for accommodation or meet different cost-of-living requirements. I ask that perhaps this be looked at. We could increase it incrementally over time. That could be done or started in budget 2023. I accept that it will not be possible to increase it to the rate we would like it to be at all at once. However, it needs to be seriously considered in the context of budget 2023, particularly as we are failing our students. Our brightest and best are being forced to drop out of education.

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