On behalf of the Rural Independent Group, I want to praise the students. My motto is mol an óige agus tiocfaidh siad. In that vein, I would like to welcome students from Skibbereen Community School who are in the Gallery with Deputy Michael Collins and other colleagues. Students, especially those from rural areas, are suffering greatly. Very little happened in the budget for them. We accept the payments announced. However, the travel and accommodation costs and tuition fees are having an impact on families. Those who are lucky to get SUSI grants have some help. However, there are those without help. Those in the squeezed middle are again being caught. They do not get allowances because their income is over the limit of the SUSI grant. Students need our support. They are the future of this country, and they have had to come out today and protest. The Tánaiste has been in government for 11 years. He is going to leave some legacy behind him. As I said, mol an óige agus tiocfaidh siad. The Government should support students and not just say that it hears them. The Government should do something positive for them because they are our future.

I join the Deputy in welcoming the students from Skibbereen. It is a very fine town. I had a chance to visit it a couple months ago. They are most welcome on their visit to Dublin.

What are we doing to help students? There is a €1,000 reduction in the student fee, and a permanent reduction of €500 will kick in from next year. Bear in mind that student fees in Northern Ireland are €5,000 a year. Just contrast that, for example, with what we are doing here. This is the first reduction in 27 years. The student grant is being increased by 10%, and there will be a one-off payment before Christmas. We are making the SUSI grant available to more people. As a result, 15,000 more students will qualify for it next year. We made a change in the adjacency rates. The Deputy, who represents a rural constituency, will understand how important that is in the context of giving people bigger grants if they have to travel longer distances. There is a 50% reduction in public transport fees, as well as more investment in purpose-built student accommodation. There are not small interventions; they are significant. They will make a difference in people’s lives. However, this is not the end of our response. There will be more, provided the country can afford to pay for it.