Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House for this very important discussion about access to further and higher education and issues relating to student support and accommodation. We know the issues of funding for students and higher education funding have continued to be kicked down the road by successive Governments. This Government took a very clear decision to cost what it would need to ensure that higher education institutions are adequately funded. The figure arrived at was an additional €307 million over three years. The Minister committed to delivering that €307 million but only €40 million was provided in last year's budget. That presents a challenge. We have to ensure that the higher education system is adequately funded. The Government has accepted those figures, which means that between this year's budget and next year's, the Minister has to deliver on €267 million in funding, as he agreed, in order to ensure that we get to the appropriate level of funding for our higher education institutions. If that does not happen, the challenge is going to continue for our universities and other institutes to be able to ensure that students have adequate access to libraries laboratories and other facilities. The core question of funding has to be addressed in the first instance.

The second question that needs to be addressed is that of access to higher education. This means that we need increases in the level of SUSI grants and in the thresholds at which individuals qualify. Many families are just above the threshold for student grants. This makes it very difficult for them to be able to attend college. We also need to expand the programme to part-time students. It is critical that these issues are addressed.

We also need to look at the supports for our research students. For those on research stipends it is impossible for them to survive now in universities, particularly in the major cities. This has to be addressed, as does these students' access to basic equipment. The Minister of State knows that the Irish Universities Association reported that we are now in a situation whereby half of all research equipment is at least ten years old. It is not acceptable that our top researchers have to work with such old equipment. I am entirely appreciative of the fact that we now have more opportunities in higher education. For the students who are in the Gallery, there are now more places in further and higher education than ever before after they get the leaving certificate. However, the problem is that the quality of the further and higher education those students will receive will not be as good unless it is adequately funded and it will not be sufficient if they do not get access to adequate levels of student support.

I welcome the moves by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in partnership with the universities, to ensure that where construction of student accommodation has been started, supports will be provided to the universities to complete it on the basis that it is priced at a reasonable level for the students involved. We also need to expand this programme to the technological university sector. There is an opportunity to construct student accommodation in our technological universities. The Minister of State will obviously be very familiar with the Technological University of the Shannon, while I am familiar with the South East Technological University. We need that level of expansion.

Our party established the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for the specific purpose of being prepared for the technological and other challenges this country has to face. We have got to ensure that students have a quality education when they get to third level.