Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

I wish Deputies Harkin and Lawless all the best in their ministerial roles. Something that strikes me in respect of the higher education system is that the free education scheme is free in name only for many families who do not qualify for the SUSI grant. It is an arduous task to get the grant. It is a very expensive ordeal to send children to college. I have four children within five years of each other. For the past three years, we have had three of them in college together. This year, it is down to two and next year, it will be down to one. It is slowly phasing out. It costs between €10,000 and €15,000 per year per child to send them to college if you do not have the grant. For those from rural areas who have to travel and pay for accommodation, it is certainly very expensive. That needs to be examined. I welcome the commitment the Minister made in his statement to examine all of this.

One of the key things we come across is the cost of accommodation. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, is very aware of the big problem we have with student accommodation in Sligo. It is a serious issue in every part of the country. Wherever a young person ends up getting a course, they end up having to pay through the nose for accommodation. It is very expensive and a big problem. One of the answers is to enable the universities to build their own accommodation and give them the right to raise loans to build their own accommodation, so they can, in the future if they need to, make a profit from that accommodation. At present, big developers and major corporations do that instead of the colleges doing it, often on college grounds. That needs to be examined and changed.

Retaining staff is another serious problem. Precarious employment is a serious issue. I am very much aware of those who work in the sector, particularly those who go into prisons and IPAS centres to educate people. The standard of employment they have is very low and they are not on a par with anyone else. That needs to be examined very closely.

My home county of Leitrim is probably the only county that does not have a third level institution. I know the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board runs courses, mainly in secondary schools. It also runs courses in rented accommodation. It wants to build a campus and have its own place in County Leitrim. We have a firm ambition in that regard. For too long, our children have had to travel to other places to be able to attain education services. This needs to happen. I appeal to the Government to examine that and speak to Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board on where funding can be found to develop this and make sure it can happen. It is an absolute priority.

It was Thomas Davis who said, "Educate that you may be free". That is freedom from poverty. It is freedom from many things. More than anything else, it is freedom to be able to have a better life for yourself in your future and your entire community. That is something we can all aspire to.

I was conscious of the emphasis on the term "economic enabler" in the Minister's contribution, but it is about more than economics. It is also about society and to have a better society and a more equal and more inclusive society, education is key as well.

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