Student Support Schemes
Dail Éireann — 2020-09-09
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Marian Harkin (IND), Sligo-Leitrim

I thank the Minister. I have spoken to Sligo IT's representatives and the €120,000 will be most welcome and useful. That will mostly be used for mental health services but it will also go to other areas like access. I hear what the Minister is saying. The services were already overstretched. With the increased intake of students and the particularly difficult year students have had, we must seriously consider increasing resources for mental health services, perhaps in the budget or later.
I would like to raise another point which is directly related to mental health and well-being, namely, gender-based violence in third level institutions. I know this is an issue close to the Minister's heart. It certainly contributes significantly to issues of poor mental health and well-being at third level. A recent survey found that more than 6,000 students, mostly female, reported rape during their time in college. That is absolutely shocking. Some 10% of males and 28% of non-binary students have had the same experience. How is the Minister addressing this issue in the specific context of mental health?

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:32+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-09-09