Crowe Joins Students For Information Initiative Day 

Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe, has called on the government to ensure that the university maintenance grant is protected from austerity cuts in the 2014 Budget.

Crowe was speaking after an information day organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI)  and students from the IT Tallaght, who are calling on the Government and the Education Minister Ruairí Quinn to protect the Student Maintenance Grant. The students announced this week that they were going to establish a Student Electoral Registration Database and hope to register up 50,000 voters on to the electoral register across the state. The information day was of a series of events held across the State.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“I welcome today’s initiative from  Students from IT in Tallaght who have gathered here in the Square Shopping Centre in conjunction with business and local politicians. Collectively we are calling to the Education Minister to protect the University Maintenance Grant from cuts in the 2014 Budget and would encourage everyone to actively back USI’s pre-budget ‘Fight For Your Future Now’ campaign.

The establishment of a Student Electoral Registration Database with the aim of registering up to 50,000 voters on to the electoral register across the state is a positive idea and will undoubtedly have an impact on those promoting austerity as the only answer to our economic problems. .

“Getting people on the electoral register is a practical measure and should be taken up by all those groups and individuals who oppose the austerity measures that are being promoted and supported by this Fine Gael/Labour Government.

“Recently the Irish League of Credit Unions released research that showed that parents are increasingly struggling to pay for their children’s third level education, and that on average it is costing parents nearly €1,000 a month to put their children through college.

“The research also found that one in 12 students will drop out of college this year solely due to the financial stress.

“Approximately half of all our university students receive some type of grant, and it is vitally important that the government does not cut this financial lifeline.

“No student should have to drop out of college, or not avail of a Third Level education, because they lack the minimum, basic financial supports.

“Today’s information day in the Square was an important event.

“Well done to the Students from the IT Tallaght and USI for organising this worthwhile initiative.”

Photo: Seán Crowe TD joins the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the Institute of Technology Tallaght Students Union (ITT SU) who were hosting a Community Engagement Day in The Square Tallaght on 22nd August 2013. Photo credit: Sq. Magazine, InTallaght