Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy. To give some examples, the higher education institutions received €5 million for this. The Atlantic Technological University, which has a very substantial campus in Galway, in 2023 received an allocation of €431,667. The University of Galway received an allocation of €316,438. We all have the same objective here. I have been in Deputy Farrell's and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle’s city on more than one occasion. I was doing a totally different job there. I was there as part of my previous role and I was with engineers from Galway City Council and others. I am acutely aware of one particular part of the city that, unfortunately, has claimed so many lives. Whether these have been visitors, students or locals, I am very conscious of that.

This is not something that is unique to one particular part of the country. This is an issue that we can, thankfully, now discuss in an open forum and that has been destigmatised over many years. There is a lot of work left to be done on this. The higher education institutions have a role in this. I respect their autonomy in this, but I am prepared to support them and it is my intention to support them further as we move on in the budget discussions that are coming up.

See this speech in context