Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sure Deputy Boyd Barrett would accept that we are on the one page on this issue. I never thought I would be on the same page as People Before Profit on anything but I imagine that the Deputy would subscribe to the idea that where resources are limited and finite, they should be targeted toward the people who need them most. Thus, it is on a means-based, targeted system, which is what we have at the moment. In recent years, the Taoiseach and former Minister, Deputy Harris, has been on a pathway to do that with the cost-of-living measures and the SUSI measures that have been put in place.

The Deputy mentioned students with special needs. It is also important to recognise that PATH 4, which never existed before, now gives an opportunity to people who, for many years, were locked out of the third level sector. They now have an opportunity to get what the rest of us take for granted. This should be welcomed in the context of what the Deputy is saying. All of this comes in the context of the money available to me and the Department and the choices that have to be made. In the coming weeks and months I will be listening to people like the Deputy in this regard.

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