Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister of State in this public forum and wish him every success in his job. I do not doubt that he will prove himself as capable a Minister of State as he is a Deputy. I welcome him to the House for this debate.

The Minister of State might be aware of the briefing given last week in the Houses that was led by students from the National Learning Network who were participating in SOLAS-funded training courses. As a result of budget 2014, they have suffered a €20 reduction in their weekly training allowance since 1 July. The participants at the briefing outlined the negative impact of the reduction and what €20 meant to them. When a person is living on just €188 per week, €20 is a significant amount. They brought their message home to us. For one, €20 meant the difference between a healthy diet and an unhealthy diet. Reversing the cut would improve her lifestyle and reduce the cost to the State in health care.

Another student spoke emotionally about how any reduction in the training allowance would have a negative impact on his mental health. He valued work and the positive effect of SOLAS on his life. His appeal to have his dignity respected was heartfelt.

Some 6,300 people are affected by the reduction, amounting to €6.5 million per year. While I understand the Government's need to reduce the debt burden, it is difficult to appreciate this reduction, which affects the well-being of vulnerable people in an unequal way. The modest nominal cost savings of €6.5 million can be achieved elsewhere in the budget. As has been proven in many countries, if we invest in our young and their education, we would save money in health care and mental health care in the long run. The Minister of State is barely in the hot seat. When he catches his breath, will he revisit this reduction? We need to encourage, support and invest in the professional futures of SOLAS students.

Despite SOLAS having a high success rate, with 90% of students continuing on to further education, if they can afford it, or employment, I was concerned when some of the students last week mentioned the dropout rate, which was mainly due to financial issues. I appeal to the Minister of State to support SOLAS students and to help those struggling to afford training courses by examining the level of investment in SOLAS-funded programmes. Investment in SOLAS is an investment in our people and economy. It was evident from the trainees' stories that the courses were invaluable in allowing people to return to work, giving them confidence, ensuring better mental health and providing a community of support.