Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

Ní aontaím leis an Teachta. Níl aon amhras go bhfuil méadú faoi leith tar éis teacht ar líon na mac léinn atá ag freastal ar oideachas tríú leibhéal sa tír seo thar na blianta. Tá sé sin soiléir. Tá infheistíocht stairiúil curtha isteach againn le blianta beaga anuas chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhic léinn. Tá i bhfad níos mó infheistíochta curtha isteach sna coláistí tríú leibhéal agus ina lán nithe eile.

I came into politics because of my interest in two issues: Northern Ireland and education. Education has always been at the core of why I am in politics. The reason I joined the Fianna Fáil Party is that it was the party of Donogh O'Malley, who brought free second level education into this county. Throughout my political life, my fundamental motivation has been to ensure the children furthest behind are given priority. It is about access and participation.

We have transformed participation rates in third level education. The Deputy will never acknowledge it but that has been the reality over the last two decades. That requires significant investment. I will repeat that we are one of the top countries in the OECD as regards participation rates in third level education. Students are not flocking out of universities. It is the opposite. More and more students are seeking more and more places. There is demand and pressure to create more places. We are doing that and will continue to do so. However, no matter what happens, I will prioritise the children who are furthest behind materially and children with disabilities. I am thankful that we have made great progress in respect of children who come from what we might term disadvantaged backgrounds. The figures are quite significant.

Progression from DEIS schools to further and higher education has risen to 64%, closing the gap with non-DEIS schools at 80%. We now rank third in the OECD for tertiary attainment, with 54% of adults holding a third level qualification, well above the European Union average of 35%. At the start of the previous Government, I insisted that we would have a separate Department for higher education, research, further education and skills to give a focus on further and third level education and research. We have restored supports for PhD students, which are now substantial as a result of initiatives that have been taken. There has been an exponential rise in apprenticeships because of the focus that Department has brought to apprenticeships and skills over the past four years. Above all, we have widened access and there are a variety of instruments available to any Minister in any year in terms of prioritisation and what we do. That said, this time last year was exactly the same position because the previous year had not provided Estimates for the reduction of €1,000 that happened last year. It was exactly the same position and actually Sinn Féin had a motion down this time last year as well doing the exact same thing. There is an Estimates process and there will be a budget. We will look at the full range of supports, including fees. We will look at student supports and stronger supports for students with disabilities. We will look for stronger supports for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and we will look at progression into third level from different areas, and into postgraduate and research. There is a significant menu, and lots of instruments with which we can help students, particularly those on middle and lower incomes, to make college more affordable. It is across the full gamut of instruments we have or provision we can make in the budget.

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