Third Level Education
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-11
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Edward Timmins (FG), Wicklow

Ireland benefits more than any other European nation from this programme. Given our geographic location, it is so important that we develop contacts and understanding of mainland Europe. This enriches us culturally. Understanding another language leads us to better understand other peoples. It also helps us think in different ways and develop new ideas. Learning a European language is one of the most enriching experiences one can have. I speak as someone who spent a few years working and living in mainland Europe, in France, Germany and Switzerland. There are also economic benefits to these exchanges. As a small nation, we are hugely dependent on exports. We have a huge market of wealthy economies on our doorstep. There are opportunities for Irish businesses to export to these countries. They also represent economies we can rely on, which are stable and respect the rule of law.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-11/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-11