Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will not deal with judicial appointments apart from saying that all of us need to do a little better. The public is looking on this issue with wonder. The air of desperation around Deputy Micheál Martin in recent days does not reflect well on Fianna Fáil. We can all do better on that issue.

A number of my Sinn Féin colleagues met representatives from the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, yesterday. I am sure other colleagues in the House met them as well. The USI has an excellent pre-budget submission, which I commend to the House. I recommend that everyone have a good look at it. It contains some very concrete suggestions. It is also very measured. It is not looking for the earth. It has very simple, costed proposals. One example is a reduction in the administration fee by €250 per year, which would give rise to a significant saving for hard-pressed parents and students. We know third-level students have been let down by politics in recent years. Lots of promises were made and subsequently broken.

The point I wish to raise today concerns the crisis in counselling services at third level. I was very impressed with the people I met from the USI yesterday and the stories they told. One person told me about a college in Dublin that has just one counsellor who looks after between 10,000 and 12,000 students. We know from A Vision for Change that students experience mental health difficulties. Those difficulties can include depression, anxiety, loneliness, substance misuse and suicidal behaviour. The document also informs us that almost 75% of all mental disorders first emerge between the ages of 15 and 25. The provision of counselling services at third level has not kept pace with the expansion in the number of students. Typically, students wait up to six weeks to see a counsellor. It can be fatal if one has a mental health crisis at a very vulnerable stage in life.

The USI has a very clear and simple request, namely, that the Government prioritise additional funding for student counselling. From figures contained in the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland report, we also know that more than 50% of their clients in college stated they have difficulties which - either negatively or very negatively - impact on their studies. We know there is a crisis. We also know that the number of counsellors is not sufficient. I urge that the new Minister of State with responsibility for third-level education would come to the House in order that might engage in a debate this issue and on third-level education in general, particularly as critical decisions are due to be made, for example, on whether we go for a student-funded model or some other model in terms of funding the education system in the future. Very good research was carried out in that regard by Dr. Larkin of Trinity College Dublin and Dr. Corbett of DCU which shows that where student loan systems have been introduced they were a complete and utter failure in every respect. It is timely for the Leader to bring the Minister before the House in order that we might debate those issues. I emphasise the need for the Government to prioritise additional funding for counselling services.