To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the steps he will take to make it more accessible for students to apply to universities in the Republic of Ireland.

It is a priority for me to improve student mobility across Ireland. Prior to his becoming Taoiseach, I had a positive discussion with Simon Harris TD in his then capacity as the responsible Minister on steps we can take to reduce barriers across the island.

I have reached out to my counterpart, Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD, with a view to continuing that dialogue. I intend to explore ways we can remove barriers to cross-border study as part of that engagement.