John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister with responsibility for higher education, Deputy Harris, for the significant announcement made yesterday of a €168 million package of supports for further and higher education institutions and students. The package of supports includes €15 million in funding to purchase laptops and devices to enable the most disadvantaged students to continue their education, an additional investment of €3 million in mental health services for students which, we will all agree, is of critical importance, a doubling of the student assistance fund from €8.1 million to €16.2 million and an additional €1.9 million in supports for students with disabilities.

Another area on which I would like the Minister with responsibility for higher education and the Government to focus is a technological university for the south east. This has been debated for as long as I can remember. The south east is the only region in the country without a university. It is critical that a renewed focus is placed on assisting the institutes of technology, IT, in Waterford and Carlow in resolving any differences that remain.

I have suggested to the Minister that it may be helpful for the Government to appoint someone to drive the process forward with a view to the application being made before the end of the year. This must be a firm deadline and the south east Oireachtas Members from across the parties, who have met on several occasions in recent weeks, are certainly of this view and will articulate that message to both institutes next Monday when we meet them in Carlow IT. There is certainly momentum from the political side, but the process needs to be expedited by the Government. As I said, it would be helpful to appoint someone who will drive it. A technological university for the south east has been talked about for too long and action is now needed on this matter.

I would also welcome a wider debate on the higher education sector and its difficulties in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.