Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2016
175. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills the strategies the Irish education system put in place to cope with the inevitably increased demand on the third level education system, given that fewer students will now be able to choose the United Kingdom option for third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19145/16]
View answerThe Government has a contingency framework in place which maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland in the coming weeks and months. The Government has published a summary of the key actions that will be taken to address the contingencies arising from the UK's decision to leave the EU. My Department participated fully in and contributed to the preparation of this framework for the education sector and has identified student flows as a priority area. Negotiations on the future EU UK relationship will now be required and officials from my Department will engage fully in these discussions with the EU and the UK to protect our special relationship with Northern Ireland and the UK. My Department is conscious of the resulting pressures that may fall on the Irish higher education system following the UK's decision to leave the EU and is working on gathering relevant data, such as the number of Irish students in the different jurisdictions of the UK, to assist in informing the discussions that will be taking place. My Department will be liaising with all relevant parties, including the relevant education departments in the UK in relation to these pressures including issues with regard to the movement of students between this State and the UK, fees and student grant arrangements.
