Erasmus+ for Northern students
Senator Warfield raised the impact of Brexit on Erasmus+ participation for students in the North and urged the Irish Government to defend their access to the programme. The Chair said the matter was outside jurisdiction, but Warfield insisted Dublin should press London to protect students’ rights.
I refer to the desperate situation with which students in the Six Counties are faced because of the Conservative Government's failure to provide adequate information on solutions which will allow for the continuation of the Erasmus+ programme after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The UK agency for Erasmus+ issued a Brexit update in December which stated the agency "remains wholly committed to" the Erasmus+ programme and its benefits and that it strongly supported continued full UK membership of the programme through to 2020 as planned in the proposed Brexit implementation package.
Comment on this
I am sorry to interrupt the Senator, but as the matter is outside this jurisdiction, it is hardly relevant to the Order of Business in this House. While I accept what he has said, I am not too sure the Leader's knowledge is so all-embracing as to-----
Comment on this
My point is that the Irish Government must not allow Mrs. Theresa May's Government to do this and that the Department of Education and Skills should defend the right of students in the North to take part in Erasmus+ programmes. Such programmes provide them with vital funding to enable them to undertake third year placements that are a compulsory component of their degree programmes. Will the Leader request the Department to stand up for this right? Any engagement by the Irish Government with the British should include standing up for the rights of Erasmus+ students.