Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the floor of the Seanad. I welcome his statements. Indeed, the Fine Gael Party group in the Seanad welcomes the measures announced in budget 2026 that will, obviously, directly support learners across Ireland. I warmly welcome the permanent reduction in student fees and the expansion of SUSI grant limits. There are a lot of pluses in the Minister’s statement and I welcome every one of them, particularly the permanent reduction and SUSI limits. These are important steps that will reduce financial barriers and enable both young people and mature students to complete their studies. The permanent fee reduction signals a long-term commitment to affordability in higher education. Expanding the SUSI grant eligibility and increasing grant levels are a recognition of the reality of modern student life and will improve retention and completion rates.

It is important to be clear about what remains unaddressed. Many student representative organisations and institutions sought a €1,000 reduction in annual student charges, but that specific reduction was not passed on in the budget. The absence of the €1,000 relief that was requested represents a meaningful shortfall for students and their families, especially for those who do not qualify for the enhanced SUSI supports. While the Government's measures are necessary and welcomed, under the programme for Government, the Government committed to making higher education more accessible and reducing the financial burden of fees. That commitment set a direction of travel towards further reduction and, ultimately, the abolition of student fees. While budget 2026 moves us forward in that regard, we need clarity and a credible timetable to meet the programme's promises. I am calling for a clear five-year commitment for all students and families who require certainty to plan their futures. I ask that we convert the positive steps in budget 2026 into a clear timebound commitment that aligns with the programme for Government. I specifically call on us to commit to a published plan to abolish student fees within five years, which will include interim targets for annual reductions and a transparent funding model to achieve that outcome. Budget 2026 is a meaningful step in the right direction. Students deserve more than goodwill, however. They need a credible, funded route map to assist with fees. I welcome the Minister's leadership to make that plan real and honour the programme for Government commitment to abolish student fees within five years.

Earlier this year, I raised serious concerns with the Minister’s office with regard to rumours that were being highlighted to my office by a number of students concerning the SOLAS apprenticeship schemes. We know the success of the apprenticeship schemes run across the country. They are unbelievable. Sparkies are hard to come by. My son is on an electrical engineering apprenticeship at the moment, so I understand and have the life learning skills of having a student going through this course.

I note and compliment the Minister and his officials on their correspondence acknowledging the 2025 funding pressures and the actions taken to avert disruption. Disruption would have happened otherwise. I wish to inform the House that, in the Minister's correspondence, he confirmed that the Department engaged with SOLAS and the ETBs and identified a funding pressure in the apprenticeship budget for 2025. The Minister directed SOLAS to work with Department officials to develop a sustainable solution to minimise disruption to existing apprentices. Craft apprenticeship demand has risen substantially, which everyone knows, welcomes and is delighted with. Registration increased by 35% since 2019, from 5,271 in 2019 to 7,113 in 2024. There has been a rise in total craft apprenticeships from 16,000 in 2019 to 25,000 at the end of 2024. These are significant challenges that the Minister's Department and officials are facing. The Minister prioritised resources to meet those funding pressures. He engaged with the SOLAS board and instructed officials to work with the SOLAS executive to avoid cancellations. SOLAS was directed to work urgently with the ETBs to complete rescheduling for the remainder of the year. ETBs completed rescheduling on a rolling basis. On 11 August, SOLAS finalised the funding allocation for apprenticeships with the ETBs, enabling delivery for the remainder of the year without cuts to wider further education and training funding. The Government's investment in 2024 and 2025 helped unblock the previous backlog in phase 2 and allowed more apprentices to progress through phase 2 and phase 4, reinforcing the commitment to the national apprenticeship action plan 2021-2025. That is fantastic work. I thank the Minister for confirming the immediate measures taken to stabilise the 2025 provision.

To ensure confidence in the apprenticeship system beyond this, I request clarification from the Minister on the following points. What specific provisions have been made to ensure adequate and sustainable funding for apprenticeships from 2026 onwards? Has the Department developed a multiyear funding model that reflects projected growth in apprenticeship numbers? Will future apprenticeship allocations be ring-fenced to protect delivery from broader budgetary pressures within further education and training?

I acknowledge the decisive steps taken to protect apprenticeships and apprentices in 2025 and the collaborative work between the Department, SOLAS and our ETBs. Apprenticeships are not temporary measures; they are a core part of Ireland's skills architecture and economic future. I ask the Minister to provide the requested clarifications and publish the funding roadmaps so employers, training providers and learners can play with certainty. I look forward to working with the Minister in this term and into the next couple of years. I thank him for his work so far.