Dee Ryan (Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Gabhaim buíochas leis as teacht chun an Tí seo le labhairt agus éisteacht lenár dtuairimí inniu. Fianna Fáil welcomes these statements and this opportunity to contribute to the discussion on further and higher education, research, innovation and science. As the Minister rightly asserted, for us in Fianna Fáil, this area has always been central to our national story along with the belief that education is a great equaliser, the foundation of opportunity and the driver of progress.

Expanding access to education has long been a cornerstone of our vision for Ireland, from the introduction of free secondary education by my fellow Limerick person, Donogh O’Malley, to the expansion of our university system and, more recently, as the Minister referred to, to the establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. This is because as a party we know the value of education. We understand the critical importance of skills development and research and this is why we felt the sector needed its own focus and leadership and a seat at the Cabinet table to ensure it was given the prominence it merits.

We can see the fruits of this ongoing focus on education over the decades through the ever-increasing rates of higher education attainment. In fact, Ireland leads the way in education, outperforming the EU27 average in third level attainment across all age groups. In all but one age group, we are outperforming the EU27 average by 20 percentage points. I will give one example. Last year, the CSO revealed that 66% of all persons aged 30 to 34 had third level qualifications. This is an increase from the equivalent figure of 39% in 2004. This is significant progress by any measure and it did not happen by chance. It is the result of decades of focus, sustained investment and strong policy direction. It is a reflection of the belief we hold dear in Fianna Fáil and, indeed, more broadly in Irish society, that learning should never be a privilege for the few but a right for all.

Building on the focus for higher education and research that led to the establishment of the Department, the programme for Government sets very clear and ambitious targets for the Minister. These include closing the core funding gap that exists by unlocking the National Training Fund and he has made progress this week on this goal. Another target is to develop the framework for borrowing for technological universities and develop a pathway for these institutions to access capital funding for initiatives, including student accommodation. This is dear in my area with the importance of the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, in Limerick and the important contribution it has made to our regional economy over the past decade and more. Other targets include: providing more training places nationally; continuing to reduce the student contribution fee in a sustainable way over the lifetime of the Government; increasing maintenance grants and reforming SUSI; increasing supports for PhD students to encourage emerging researchers; working with industry and educational institutions to provide more short and microcredential qualifications; and funding graduate research programmes to support economic development and growth.

As the Minister rightly said in his opening comments, his Department is leading the response to global disruption. While much is owed to foreign direct investment, the work of IDA Ireland and the policy direction set by successive Governments over the past number of decades, much credit is owed to those decisions made in the recovery of our economy in the past decade. We must now ensure that the next chapter of our country’s economic history is written by indigenous companies and businesses. We must support them to scale up to be more innovative and to succeed in their efforts to trade into Europe and beyond. The Minister’s Department and skills are at the forefront in ensuring that vision is recognised.

I take this opportunity to welcome what the Minister has delivered in budget 2026. It is the most significant package of permanent supports for further and higher education in a generation. The measures the Minister announced bear mentioning again. There will be a €500 permanent reduction in the student contribution fee, the first since free fees introduced in 1995. The SUSI income threshold will increase to €120,000, the highest ever, extending support to thousands more families. There will be a rise in the SUSI non-adjacent rate by between €204 and €430 from September 2026, which will support students who have to travel or rent to attend college. There will also be an increase in the SUSI postgraduate grant to €4,500 and an increase in the research and development tax credit from 30% to 35%.

This all underscores the determination of the Minister and the Department to keep Ireland, and regions like mine of Limerick and the mid-west, at the forefront of global innovation. It supports collaboration between academia and enterprise and strengthens our reputation as a destination for high-value investment. These are meaningful changes that ease pressure on families, while opening doors for those who might otherwise have been locked out of education. From a mid-west perspective, I broadly welcome the expansion of healthcare places. There are more than 1,100 new spots across medicine, nursing and social care and a 27% increase that will help to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals nationwide.

I also particularly welcome the record €79 million investment in apprenticeships announced in the budget. This is more than double the 2020 level. Apprenticeships are no longer confined to traditional trades and now span technology, cybersecurity, green energy, manufacturing and healthcare. At the Joint Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, we heard a great deal during recent meetings from employers, workers and student representatives on this topic. These contributions have reflected what is going well and advocated for changes and improvements these groups would like to see being made. We look forward to reflecting all this back to the Minister in the coming months.

As the Minister correctly highlighted, however, accommodation is one of the most pressing issues for him during his term.We cannot speak about access to education without speaking about access to accommodation. For too many students and families, finding and affording a place to live has become one of the biggest barriers to accessing further or higher education. I thank the Minister for visiting the University of Limerick again two weeks ago. I believe it was the Minister's third visit to Limerick since he has taken office and we greatly appreciate his commitment and engagement to the sector in Limerick and the mid-west. The Minister will remember that on the occasion of the opening of that impressive students' union centre, the Minister and I were briefed that this is now also home to a breakfast club that the students' union has established to support students who are travelling from great distances on a daily basis. They are commuting to attend university in Limerick because they cannot find accommodation nearby. Due to traffic and bus connections they are often arriving on campus between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. before anything else opens. The students' union at UL has provided a daily breakfast club supporting over 100 students. It is important. I know the Minister was as struck by that as I was and it is important that we acknowledge this reality clearly and honestly. It is difficult, it is expensive and the shortage of accommodations is impacting students' choices about where to take up courses and study.

I will finish by commending the Minister on the commitment he has shown to addressing this issue. I know he is working closely with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on it and I look forward to the publication of his comprehensive student accommodation strategy later this year.