Jack Leahy | News Editor
The Union of Students in Ireland has welcomed a number of budgetary measures announced today, but President Laura Harmon insists they’re “not exactly breathing sighs of relief” as third-level fees continue to rise.
The national student representative body has welcomed the decision not to cut or otherwise amend the student maintenance grant and the Back to Education Allowance, and has described the decision to return €25 million to colleges as “good news for education”.
However, it has criticised the decision to follow through on planned increases in the student contribution charge, which it describes as “a major increase in the cost of college”. The charge was increased for the fifth consecutive year as part of planned increases to gradually bring the charge from €2,000 and €3,000.
The organisation has engaged in extensive lobbying over the last number of months, focusing on the protection of student supports. A protest march to that end attracted up to 6,000 attendees last week.
It has also welcomed announcements on provisions to build more housing, which it says “should in due course relieve pressure on rental prices in Dublin and across the country.”
Speaking after the announcements, USI President Harmon said that she was happy to see “student concerns heeded in the development of the budget” but that fee increases amounted to further “enormous pressures”:
“We’re glad that students reliant on the Back to Education Allowance and Student Maintenance Grant won’t experience further cuts, and we’re pleased that the money withheld from the third level system for two years is being returned. These provisions were key to our pre-budget asks.
“In addition, the re-balancing of the grant will make things easier for students in the difficult first semester of study – showing that student concerns have been heeded in the development of the budget.
“Whilst we’re glad that no new cuts to student supports will be introduced in this budget, we’re not exactly breathing sighs of relief. The escalator on student contribution fees adds €250 more on to fees which are the second highest student fees in Europe, placing enormous financial pressure on students and families.”
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil spokesperson for Education Charlie McConalogue has released a statement condemning today’s budgetary measures:
“Today’s budget is a massive disappointment to all those who believe in investment in education. Minister O’Sullivan has failed to deliver and will oversee further reductions in education services in the coming year.”
Photo by Tomasz Szykulski for The University Times.
