James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies. Deputy Boyd Barrett should note that I am of course concerned about students dropping out. One or five is too many, never mind 5,000. I would like to understand the reasons. Some analysis would be helpful and I will look into this. I understand that meeting the cost of college has never been easy. I also understand that if the supports, which are abundant in the system and paid for by the State, are not reaching those most in need, something is going wrong. I am not convinced that flat abolition or having free frees, or whatever you want to call the arrangement, is the answer. This would represent a use of scarce resources that could perhaps be more targeted at those in need. I believe in the progressive policy "To each according to their needs", not "To each, everything", so we have to be prudent and progressive in how we manage the allocations.

I am surprised that Deputy Boyd Barrett takes aim at the research and development tax credit.

It is a really useful measure and that research and development support is exactly the kind of thing we should be encouraging. We all know about global headwinds, changing economic tides, trade tariffs and so forth. We have talent, research and development and innovation in this country and that is what has fuelled the enterprise model we have pursued since the sixties and seventies, which has successfully widened the public good by widening the resources available to the public good.

All the other things we want to do in terms of education, housing and health are supported through that type of revenue because that is the economic model we support and subscribe to and that creates the resources. Private enterprise creates the public good, which can then be distributed to do all the things we want to do in this Chamber on a daily basis. I am a big supporter of that model.

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