Third Level Education
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-11
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James Lawless (FF), Kildare North

The Deputy is absolutely right and I completely agree. The point is well made, particularly now, when we have the shadow of war on the Continent and tensions internationally. Perhaps, we do not have the same community of nations that we might traditionally have enjoyed. It is all the more important, therefore, that we better understand each other, communicate and exchange with one another, and have shared experiences, including the pan-European experience Erasmus can afford.
The shape of the new programme proposes to merge Erasmus with the European Solidarity Corps, which will create a new single integrated programme that will go beyond the university experience, viable though that is, to also incorporate volunteering and community activities. That would include learning opportunities across volunteering, youth and sport, as well as the purely educational aspects and promote co-operation between institutions. It will encourage institutions to engage in universities alliances and other European initiatives that bring universities together at European level. This is a positive development, which will deepen and strengthen the programme. I am very much committed to supporting it.

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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