Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We also have record numbers of students in third level education. There are more than there have ever been in the history of the State and that has to be acknowledged. There are more students than ever before in the history of the leaving certificate getting their first choice of college course. New technological universities are opening in the regions. There are pathways between further and higher education. We have abolished the post leaving certificate, PLC, course levy, increased financial supports for apprentices, and increased the PhD stipend. My record with regard to PhD students is one of increasing stipends in every year in which I have been Minister. When I first became Minister, there was a significant differential between the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland stipend. We equalised that. We are increasing those stipends by a further €500 in this budget. We are putting that €500 into the baseline. We need to do much more for PhD students. We have increased the number of postgraduate students who will be able to access the €1,000 additional contribution towards their fees this year. We made a permanent increase to the threshold in 2023. This budget has significant measures to address the cost of education, by any objective factor, but we have more to do and will build on this in the years ahead.

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