Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that.

Senator Gavan mentioned the Debenhams workers. There is a Debenhams in Newbridge, in Kildare South, where I live, and I have been very proud to stand with the workers, and did so over the weekend. There are a lot of negotiations going on behind the scenes. I note that the Taoiseach met Debenhams workers yesterday. He has also been in contact with the liquidator in the United Kingdom as well as the liquidator here, as I have, so hopefully we will be able to find some resolution over the next few months. I agree with Senator Gavan that that is vitally important.

The issue I want to raise concerns students at third level. It has been a very difficult year for all students, particularly leaving certificate students who now must wait an extra three weeks to get their results and to know what the future will hold for them. Many of them will go on to third level. Many will not because there are wonderful apprenticeships available. There are opportunities for other employment also. I refer to those who will go to third level and will need to move away from home. Families make huge sacrifices to send their children to third level. What happened in recent months was appalling in terms of accommodation fees that were not returned. Families paid private management companies between €6,000 and €8,000 in advance and many of them did not get back that money. In addition to that, I have a receipt from a family who paid €700 up-front for electricity for the Christmas to Easter semester. That was not returned even though the student had to leave college on 12 March. That is wrong. Families who had to pay deposits in February for the September-October 2020 start have been told now that those colleges might only sit for three weeks of the coming semester. The privately-managed companies will not rotate the accommodation so families are facing hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation costs. That is wrong. The new Department with responsibility for third level, further education and research is welcome but it is very important that the Minister with responsibility for higher education looks at the accommodation crisis and ensures that there is regulation on the private companies.