Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and draw his attention to several other students also falling outside this scheme, even though they are part of the free fees scheme. I refer to part-time students. Many people doing the green certificate, for example, will do it part time.

People could be doing part-time courses for a variety of reasons. People who are repeating a year are finding themselves excluded from it as well. If there was some way of supporting them in the scheme, that would be important. During the pandemic, many people have had stressful and difficult experiences with the leaving certificate and with starting college. What happened to them may have challenged their abilities when it comes to college.

In the context of non-EU citizens, the perception often is that these people are coming from outside the country. However, within the country, there are people in direct provision who have come through the system, who sat the leaving certificate, who would be looking to go to college and who will possibly find themselves hit with those fees, as well as finding themselves excluded. Is there a way of bringing on board those people who find themselves outside of the system?

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