Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I note today a publication from the Department of Education and Skills and the Higher Education Authority on addressing inequality in participation in third level education. This is commendable but one also must respond that addressing inequality in education when students are aged 18 rather than between the ages of four and 18 misses a large part of the problem of inequality in education. Perhaps those issues should be addressed by the new Oireachtas.

I also note the ESRI report today that families are still on average 10% worse off due to the combined impacts of the budgets since the crisis began in 2008. It is a challenge for all of us in this House in its remaining days and in the new Oireachtas that such losses of income to families still have not been made up. We have made a lot of progress and we are going in the right direction, but 10% is still missing.