60,000 students to get 5% less per week in grants

AROUND 60,000 third-level students will have an average of 5% less per week from January due to a cut in grants by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe. A 5% cut in all student grants means €334 per year less – or more than €11 for each week of the college year – for thousands of the most disadvantaged students who receive the top level of grant.

The measure takes effect from January, even though more than 10,000 people who applied for grants since August have still not received any payments.

The measure will contribute towards overall savings of 6% in Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe's budget next year, which is down to €8.9 billion.

The minister said the cut in grants was to reflect falls in the cost of living but the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) rejected this, saying that Central Statistics Office figures show an 11.6% rise in the cost of education in the past year.

"The education of thousands of students already struggling to meet the everyday costs of living, including transport, accommodation, food and college supplies, is in jeopardy as a result of this budget," said USI president Peter Mannion.

He said the effects would hit people during the current college year and is seeking a meeting with Mr O'Keeffe to discuss the impact as well as that of the "meltdown" in the processing of grants this year.

The budget also means those receiving some back to education and other allowances will no longer be eligible for third-level grants.

Despite the lower grant rates, the department is expected to spend an extra €20 million on third-level student supports this year due to rising numbers who qualify.

The Department of Education pointed out that the main contribution to cost increases from the CSO were this year's 66% increase in the registration charge to €1,500, which must be paid by students ineligible for grant support.

While Mr O'Keeffe ruled out any increase in this for next year, he has cut third-level colleges' funding by 4%, or €52m, to €1.27bn, which will put further pressure on university and institute of technology bosses already catering for rising student numbers.

While a €56m fund was announced in Finance Minister Brian Lenihan's budget speech to provide short-term courses through Fás, savings of €50m at the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment will come largely through reductions to Fás funding for workers in training, to third-level places for Fás, andreduced allowances for Fás trainees and those in community employment schemes.

Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes said the minister had taken a slash and burn approach to third-level education, hitting the most vulnerable students by cutting their grants.

The Irish Federation of University Teachers described the budget as a disastrous abandonment of the higher education system at a time when more young people thanever desperately depend on it as a route out of recession.