[…]cuts to grants, lack of beds to lay their heads, and the second highest fees in Europe. As public finances have improved Government have continually ignored the plight of young people, students, and educators. “Government have a choice to make in this Budget: they can either squirrel away public money for the benefit of those in power, or they can invest in the future of their people. “An accessible third-level education and socially mobile workforce is surely the best way to eradicate economic inequality and to stimulate the economy.” “We need to present-proof our education system, never mind trying to future-proof it” The […]
[…]cuts to grants, lack of beds to lay their heads, and the second highest fees in Europe. As public finances have improved Government have continually ignored the plight of young people, students, and educators. “Government have a choice to make in this Budget: they can either squirrel away public money for the benefit of those in power, or they can invest in the future of their people. “An accessible third-level education and socially mobile workforce is surely the best way to eradicate economic inequality and to stimulate the economy.” “We need to present-proof our education system, never mind trying to future-proof it” The […]
[…]this further. The Department of Education and Skills and now the Taoiseach, have accepted the findings of the detailed analysis of the scale of the funding deficit that was carried out by the Cassells report. If urgent action is not taken, there’s a real risk that today’s 7 and 8-year old primary school students will not have sufficient college places available to them in 2030 when the demographic bulge peaks with an additional 40,000 students seeking to access third level, nor will the education system be of the standard they deserve and one which the economic future of our country […]
[…]fees. In our Pre-Budget submission, USI called for a permanent €1,000 reduction in fees. In these expensive times, this ‘once-off’ reduction will be quickly spent on high rents and soaring costs-of-living. “Through this reduction, the Government is recognising that high fees are a barrier to accessing higher education. And the measures set to be introduced to SUSI from next year will not remove the significant barriers that currently face the hardest-pressed students and their families. We need a move towards publicly funded higher education now. We also don’t see any measures in this Budget to address the serious student accommodation […]
[…]but anecdotal evidence suggests that it is due to the lack of funding for disability supports in the part time sector (AHEAD, 2014). It is unfair to punish students who are trying to further themselves through studying but due to circumstance cannot commit to attend a higher education institution in a full-time capacity. A student who is deaf but is studying part-time cannot access the current fund for students with disabilities, and has no access to support for costly sign language interpretation, and thus it is impossible to compete at a level playing field with their peers. Costing: €7.5m with […]
