James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

Again, it is about choices. It is about managing with limited resources to provide the most support in a targeted and progressive way. I am confident that I have achieved that as best as I can this year with the resources available to me through a universal cut to the student contribution fee. I appreciate that it is more than students paid last year. I get that because they had a voucher last year which expired on 31 December and was not there this year. The budgetary situation meant that there was less money there to change that. I cannot cash in that voucher and neither can any student. I can give them something permanent that they can take this year, next year and every other year. We may well develop that further. That is the starting point for the first budget in the first term and I am proud to be able to deliver the first permanent cut in fees in 30 years.

As well as that, and just as important, I have increased maintenance grants for all non-adjacent students for the first four bands and the special rates, which are bands one, two and three, which will make a significant difference to those families on lower incomes or at risk of poverty and target money towards those students. There is also money for students with mental health issues and disabilities. I have increased the threshold so that lower income households should not be paying fees at all and middle-income families will receive significant support, given the salary band below which students can receive supports is now €120,000.

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