Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Limerick city has many third-level institutions, including the University of Limerick, UL, Mary Immaculate College, now called MIC, and Limerick Institute of Technology, LIT, but it also has many private colleges, including Griffith College and Limerick City College. I commend the report of the education committee because it highlights practical measures to be taken.People are coming to us who are doing a course in a private college, typically with Griffith College. It is the same as anywhere else and yet one person qualifies for a grant and one does not. The Cassells report has been produced and I have seen the costs involved. Many of these private colleges have been there for years and they are part of the social fabric. One that we all know nationally is Griffith College. I attended there many years ago when I was studying chartered accountancy. It was the previous incarnation of Griffith College at that time. We are always looking for equity in education and the question arises in respect of Wake-up SUSI. The Cassells report is relatively recent, from 2016, but is there some way that the Minister might do a review to ascertain whether something has not been seen? Is there some way in which we can give some alleviation to students who are from low-income families to ensure that people are not treated differently or discriminated against because they are in a private college doing a course rather than a public college? This is something we need to look at. The tax measures that apply in the private colleges will only be of benefit to those paying tax. Many of the parents of such students might not be paying tax. Their income might be relatively low or if they are paying tax, the fees would not get full tax relief.

Can a review be carried out on this one particular item? Can it be taken from the Cassells report and examined to see if something can be done? These colleges have not been set up in the morning and many of them have built up credibility. They are offering an array of recognised degrees. Griffith College will have a graduation ceremony this evening for some of their students. It a regular feature and is no different from any other third level institution. The Minister of State might ask her officials to have a fresh look to ascertain whether something can be done for students attending reputable private institutions in which exactly the same qualifications are gained as in a publically-funded State institution. In one institution, students qualify for grants while in the other, they do not. I am glad to contribute to this worthwhile debate. It is all about education and perhaps the Minister of State might have a fresh look outside the box at this issue.