Richard O'Donoghue on student housing crisis and apprenticeships
Richard O'Donoghue spoke about the shortage of student accommodation and the need to invest in apprenticeships, calling for housing and transport to be aligned with third level education. He wished Minister Harkin and Minister Lawless the best of luck and urged action to ensure students and apprentices can access training and college places.
Ministers and opening remarks
Richard O'Donoghue opened by wishing Minister Harkin and Minister Lawless the best of luck and framed his remarks around the right to education and barriers to access.
Student accommodation shortage
He said that for decades there has been insufficient accommodation for people who want to attend third level education, on campus or off campus. He cited his own son's difficulty finding accommodation in Galway and said the problem is replicated around the country, with local deputies remarking it would be easier to build accommodation than to secure a place.
Transport mismatch affecting access
He warned that the transport network does not line up with colleges, creating further obstacles for students trying to reach campuses and increasing stress for those seeking third level education.
Apprenticeships and the need for housing support
Reiterating a stance he has held for years, he called for investment in apprenticeships and stressed that accommodation must be provided where apprenticeships take place, because apprentices often travel between counties to train in skills such as electrical work that underpin future infrastructure.
Listening to the next generation
He concluded by urging that education planning must include the views and needs of prospective students and apprentices - the next generation of educators and skilled workers - so housing, transport and training are joined up for the future.
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And I'd like to wish Minister Harkin and Minister Lawless the best of luck in their position. What has education taught us for people that want to have a right to education? It has taught us for the last decades that we don't have the accommodation for people that want to go to third level education, on campus or off campus. We have a housing crisis, we know that. But we've known this for years. I have a son myself that's in third level education. And the biggest worry he has now is I can't get accommodation in Galway. I've asked all the deputies in Galway, can they help us? They're saying it would be easier to build one yourself up there, Richard, rather than to get accommodation in Galway. The same thing is happening all around the country. We're finding that people that want to go to third level education, they're stressing now over accommodation. The transport network is not in place to make sure that they can go from colleges with the transport network because they don't match up. So if we have to learn anything from this, we need to make sure there's proper accommodation for students that want to go to third level education. From apprenticeships, I've been saying this for the last 10 years, that we need to invest in apprenticeships. But equally, we need to make sure that where the apprenticeships are being held, we need to make sure we have the proper accommodation for those people. They have to travel to different counties to make sure that they can be involved in the infrastructure for the people, next generation, that want to go to third level education because they'll be able to build it and be able to plummet on the electrical side of things. So we need to make sure that education is covered off by we listening to the people that want, that are the next educators, that they build for the future. Thank you. Thank you.
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