Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I ask that the Minister look at the situation of PhD researchers. He knows the inequity that is already built in by virtue of their not getting the stipend they should be getting or indeed not being treated as workers, which they should be. It highlights why they might be excluded in this situation. I hope a way will be found to include them. Of course, it is just €500 and in the context of rural-proofing our policies and students from rural areas having to find and pay for accommodation it is just a tiny bit of what we need to do.

I am sure through the other questions we have tonight we will tease out the whole area of student accommodation and what needs to be done to give certainty to students. I am concerned students are now thinking of dropping out because they have been couch-surfing and in accommodation that is not conducive to their participating fully in their studies and now their parents are trying to ensure they stay on at college.

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