Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The dropout rates for undergraduate students have jumped very significantly in recent times. The rate is now up to 15%, a shockingly high figure. For example, the number who dropped out in first year across higher education was up to 5,000, an increase from 9% to 12%. There are a range of reasons for this, including the cost of accommodation, transport, having to travel long distances, mental health, the impact of the pandemic and the lack of mental health support for students. What is the Minister going to do to try to address this very worrying increases in dropout rates for undergraduate students?

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