Students from Galway Mayo IT Students’ Union, NUI Galway Students’ Union and Limerick IT Students’ Union and University of Limerick Students’ Union will converge on Ennis, Co. Clare today in a snap protest to voice their anger at the County Council’s decision to link student grants to payment of the household charge.

The Union of Students in Ireland today contacted every County Council in Ireland to find out whether they have followed Clare County Council in sending letters to students requesting proof that the household charge applicable for their dwelling had been paid.

President of the Union of Students in Ireland, John Logue, said:

USI has contacted every County/City Council  in relation to the withholding of Maintenance Grants without payment of Household Charge. Below are a list of each Council and their response. Please comment below if you have received a letter from a County/City Council in relation to this and please specify which local authority.

Carlow County Council – No
Cavan County Council – No
Clare County Council – Yes, decisions made by themselves

Cork County Council – No

Donegal County Council – No response
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – No plans to do this.
Fingal County Council – No
Galway County Council – No
Galway City Council – No response
Kerry County Council – No
Kildare County Council – No
Kilkenny County Council – No
Laois County Council – No
Leitrim County Council – No
Limerick County Council – No
Limerick City Council – No Response
Longford County Council – No
Louth County Council – No
Mayo County Council – No
Meath County Council – No
Monaghan County Council – No
Offaly County Council – No
Roscommon County Council – No
Sligo County Council – No Response
South Dublin County Council – No
Tipperary (NR) County Council – No
Tipperary (SR) County Council – YES
Waterford County Council – No
Westmeath County Council – No but will on request from Department of environment
Wexford County Council – No
Wicklow County Council – No