Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hear the voice of students today. I understand that they are being affected by the cost-of-living crisis, as are most people in our society. What was done in the budget was significant and should not be dismissed in the way the Deputy has dismissed it. What was done will be worth hundreds of euro to some students and thousands to others. There is a €1,000 reduction in the student fee and €500 next year. We intend to build on that in the years ahead. More students will qualify for the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant. There will be a 10% increase - 14% in some cases - in the new year. Some 15,000 more students will qualify for the grant. There will be a 50% reduction in public transport fares. Major efforts are under way by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to get more purpose-built student accommodation on the campuses of our third level institutions. That is significant, but it is not the end of it. It is not our only response – there will be more. To dismiss it as nothing is not fair.

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