Students threaten huge protests over 5pc grant reduction
STUDENTS last night threatened massive protests over the 5pc cut in grants and scholarships.
The cuts will affect more than 60,000 students in further and higher education from next month. The current maximum grant rates are €3,420 and €6,690.
Allowances for disadvantaged people on other schemes such as Youthreach, Vocational Training Opportunities and Traveller Training are also being cut, while the €2m funding for the Millennium Partnership Fund is being withdrawn.
In addition, students in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance will no longer qualify for the student maintenance grant.
However, there was some relief that there was no increase in the student registration charge or in school transport costs, both of which rose considerably this year.
Union of Students in Ireland (USI) president Peter Mannion said rises in education costs, coupled with the new grant restrictions, would bring about dire consequences for thousands of students.
Costs
"The education of these students -- who are already struggling to meet the everyday costs of living, including transport, accommodation, food and college supplies -- is in jeopardy as a result of the Budget," said Mr Mannion, who added that USI had requested an immediate meeting with Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe.
But Mr O'Keeffe defended the cuts, saying they were broadly in line with the drop in the cost of living and with reductions in other income maintenance payments.
He announced that the gross allocation for his department next year would be €8.8bn, down €603m on this year. Pay cuts account for €350m in savings.
He said he was providing €26m to meet the cost of employing 1,130 extra teachers in 2010, most of them to cater for 14,000 additional pupils in schools next September.
"We are prioritising the capital programme in education, with €794m allocated for 2010. That figure includes a carry-over of €79m from this year," said Mr O'Keeffe, who added that almost €130m was being provided for research activities in higher education.
But he also announced a series of cuts, including:
- An overall reduction of 4pc in funding for universities and institutes of technology -- from €1.318bn this year to €1.266bn in 2010.
- A reduction in teacher in-service education support from €40m this year to €29.79m next year.
- A €3m reduction in teacher training, which will mean fewer post-graduate conversion places -- down from 480 to 200 -- next year.
The Irish Federation of University Teachers said the Budget was a disastrous abandonment of the higher education system at a time when more young people than ever depended on it.
- John Walshe and Katherine Donnelly
Irish Independent
