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

I join the Deputy in welcoming the students from Skibbereen. It is a very fine town. I had a chance to visit it a couple months ago. They are most welcome on their visit to Dublin.

What are we doing to help students? There is a €1,000 reduction in the student fee, and a permanent reduction of €500 will kick in from next year. Bear in mind that student fees in Northern Ireland are €5,000 a year. Just contrast that, for example, with what we are doing here. This is the first reduction in 27 years. The student grant is being increased by 10%, and there will be a one-off payment before Christmas. We are making the SUSI grant available to more people. As a result, 15,000 more students will qualify for it next year. We made a change in the adjacency rates. The Deputy, who represents a rural constituency, will understand how important that is in the context of giving people bigger grants if they have to travel longer distances. There is a 50% reduction in public transport fees, as well as more investment in purpose-built student accommodation. There are not small interventions; they are significant. They will make a difference in people’s lives. However, this is not the end of our response. There will be more, provided the country can afford to pay for it.

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