Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sticking with the theme of higher education funding, I welcome the announcement earlier this week of €10.5 million in funding for Irish universities through four strands of the Erasmus+ funding scheme.Erasmus+ is one of many EU programmes that Irish universities, institutions and community groups are able to benefit from in terms of funding, such as Horizon 2020, the other streams of Erasmus+, Blue Star and Euroscola. However, this funding is secured in the face of one of the most difficult application processes I have ever come across in my years of completing forms. It is not only putting off groups from applying in the first place but is also stopping many groups from being successful in pulling down much-needed funding for higher education and community activities.

I call on the Leader to invite either the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, or the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, under whose briefs this falls, to come to the House to debate the matter. Why are Irish groups not achieving as much as they could from these funding schemes? What efforts can be made to simplify the process? What impact will Brexit have on agreements under Horizon 2020 already in place, which are cross-border or between universities in Ireland and the UK? What will be the impact in 2019 when the UK formally exits?