Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will start by echoing Senator Flynn's concerns about the digital divide and access to laptops and tablets. In that regard, I welcome the Government's announcement today, because it is a concern I also share, of the €5.8 million fund to mitigate the impact of educational disadvantage, particularly in the context of the digital divide.The fund will be administered by the education and training boards. I know that, in the case of Donegal Education and Training Board, €283,000 will be provided. It is really important that we address this.

What I wish to raise follows from Senator Hoey's comments on the reopening of higher education. I entirely agree with her concerns around mandatory placements, but I believe there is a bigger problem for students searching generally for internships apart from mandatory placements. In the context of the debate around the reopening of higher education, I call on all involved to ensure students are not placed at a disadvantage if they are unable to access either mandatory placements or internships.

I would like a broader debate around the reopening of our higher education institutions. A wonderful job has been done by the leadership, staff and students in coping through this period. In particular, our first-year students have lost out on the college experience. They will need considerable support and help to get back fully into the system. If they have some difficulty and are unable to attend college for whatever reason, I do not believe they should be penalised when colleges do reopen.

While it is great that the number of first-year places was expanded to 49,000 last year and that that number will continue to expand, the third level funding crisis continues. In March it will be five years since the Cassells report was published. It is a matter of urgency that we address the question of the funding of our higher education institutions. With the pace of technological change that we are now seeing, we will need far more upskilling and reskilling. I am asking for a full debate around how we are going to fund our higher education system in future.