With the new university year and government budget fast approaching, Sinn F\u00e9in TD Se\u00e1n Crowe, has called on the government to ensure that the university maintenance grant is protected from austerity cuts in the 2014 Budget.<\/p>\n
Crowe was speaking ahead of a planned protest by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) outside Leinster House today, which is calling on the government and the Education Minister Ruair\u00ed Quinn to protect the student maintenance grant.<\/p>\n
Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI welcome the initiative from the Union of Students in Ireland who have called for a protest today calling on the Education Minister to protect the university maintenance grant from cuts in the 2014 Budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would encourage all students to actively back USI\u2019s pre-budget \u2018Fight For Your Future Now\u2019 campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecently the Irish League of Credit Unions released research that showed that parents are increasingly struggling to pay for their children\u2019s third level education, and that on average it is costing parents nearly \u20ac1,000 a month to put their children through college.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe research also found that one in 12 students will drop out of college this year solely due to the financial stress.<\/p>\n
\u201cApproximately half of all our university students receive some type of grant, and it is vitally important that the government does not cut the maintenance grant for students as part of its austerity 2014 Budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe maintenance grant provides a crucial financial lifeline for many of these students.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the expected cuts do go ahead it will lead to more students having to drop out of college, solely due to financial stress, or many more not even contemplating entering university because they and their families can\u2019t afford it.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo student should have to drop out of college, or not avail of a third level education, because of they lack adequate financial support.<\/p>\n
\u201cEducation should be a right open to all citizens, not just a privileged elite.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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