9. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to further increase the SUSI grant application threshold in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26323/25]

Sentiment score: 0.25

I thank the Minister for his reply. As someone who grew up just after third level education was made free, I benefited, as did many of my peers and our parents and families. That opened up third level education, which might not have been a possibility before. We have seen those benefits. Obviously, that has evolved and changed over the last number of years. It is incumbent on this Government to reduce the cost of third level education. There are various ways in which that policy might be achieved. Some might be of the view that there should be free third level education. There are also other ways, such as through grants. That seems to be the route the Department is going down. If we can increase the rates and the thresholds, it will improve the opportunities for different families. Like the Minister, I know that many people in north Kildare attend Maynooth University. It is really important. With all of the economic difficulties we face, education is at the core of what we do and how we can grow the country in the future.

Sentiment score: 0.23

I thank the Minister for his feedback and his commitment. The two of us have benefitted from the amazing education system we have had in this country. We have both utilised it to the best possible degree in various forms. What we want, and the opportunity we have here, is to ensure that all the young people growing up in this new and growing constituency can access it, and I see Deputy Ó Cearúil is here. Obviously, there is a multitude of other issues around accessing education, maybe transport and housing and places to stay, but often the initial core barrier can be cost. The focus of this Government needs to be on ensuring that everyone has access to education. Third level education is key to driving possibilities. We can talk about AI all we want, and we can talk about all those things, but if we do not have the people in the system to make the best of it, our economy will not grow and develop in the way it should and our people will not develop the way they should.

Sentiment score: 0.46

77. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to resource town centre first and establish a dedicated town regeneration team in every local authority focused on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town and villages as committed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26324/25]

Sentiment score: 0.27

I ask the Minister if the Department plans to resource town centre first and establish a dedicated town regeneration team in every local authority focused on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town and villages, as committed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. I am looking over at Deputy Wall, who is from Athy in County Kildare, while I am from Leixlip. We know first-hand in County Kildare the opportunity that this would give us.

Sentiment score: 0.41

I thank the Minister for his response. He referenced the rural but I am also conscious of Kildare, which has the unique issue that it has a number of large towns, like Athy and Newbridge in the south, and Monasterevin, Clane, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas, Maynooth and Kilcock in the north. We can see where dereliction has impacted those towns and where there is a need for regeneration. We have a great team in Kildare County Council but it is small, with just one or two individuals who are actually going out to try to tackle that dereliction. We know that through the laws and even through the courts, some of the issues can be blocked. My mother is from outside Boyle, County Roscommon, and I have seen how Boyle has been rejuvenated. We can see the benefit of town centre first and how it comes together. A lot of that has been done through Government funding and the purchase of a local hotel. I have seen how it can work and how we can have positive solutions in some areas. What I want is to have that rolled out across the country, starting with County Kildare at Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and down to Athy, where Deputy Wall is from.

Sentiment score: 0.22

I thank Deputy Wall for his contribution. We did not organise this but, at the same time, we are speaking with one voice because we know the issues at hand. I am sure that other counties could do the same. I thank the Minister for his depth of knowledge and his interest in the topic. We need to ensure this gets rolled out.

Sentiment score: 0.48