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

I draw the Minister's attention to the higher education report which was produced in 2019. I know the Minister is familiar with it. It showed that 15% of the student body at second level is disadvantaged, while 10% of the student body at third level is also disadvantaged. It is certainly concerning and confirms what we all thought all along, that there are students from less affluent areas who do not make it to third level.

In light of that, I want to ask the Minister to consider reinstating the educational disadvantage committee. That committee did fantastic work initiating the DEIS scheme. It did brilliant work and produced fantastic reports. It was set up at a very low cost and provided great value for money. Could that be considered? To address this issue of students not progressing to third level we need something like a disadvantage committee. It would be very worthwhile.

I also want to raise the whole area of special educational needs. Students need the supports at primary and second level to be enabled to proceed to third level and progress into that system. It is becoming an issue that we have so many barriers. In my constituency, there is no dedicated special educational needs organiser. It is causing great frustration among parents and schools. If these children are to be given a fair chance and an opportunity to reach their potential, as is laid out in the Education Act 1998, every child must be included and enabled. For that to happen, we must have the basic supports in place. A serious injustice is being done to children with special needs who are already at a disadvantage. I would love to see that addressed and to see collaboration between the Minister and the Minister for Education to ensure that the gaps are addressed, so that these children have the same opportunity as every child to progress through our education system right to the end.

I commend the great work that is being done in respect of apprenticeships. It is fantastic that we see more of a focus on apprenticeships. I said this at the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science recently. While it is brilliant that the places are being made available, we also have to ensure that the students make it through the apprenticeship right to the end. One apprentice spoke about the financial difficulty of trying to make it to the end at the recent committee meeting. It is an issue that needs to be addressed. They need to be given supports as well. Perhaps there could be some grant assistance or fund that could help them make it through to the end. It is one thing providing the places but another ensuring that the students get out the other end and that we have them to contribute to our society and economy, which is going to be very valuable in the future.

I recognise that great work has been done on the SUSI grant review. I want to impress on the Minister the issue of student earnings. The fact that they are capped at €4,500 is a disincentive to students and is affecting the hospitality sector, which cannot get students to take up work. I genuinely feel that it needs to be increased.

See this speech in context