GRANT CUTS DASH EDUCATION HOPES OF UNEMPLOYED AND MATURE STUDENTS
Issued : Saturday 27 February, 2010
Labour Councillor Ronan McManus has expressed his deep concern at the fact people on low incomes will again be adversely affected by the Budget cuts. “It has been brought to my attention that education grants for people seeking a second chance at education have been cut in the recent Budget”, said Cllr. Ronan McManus.
“Mature students and the unemployed have now had their hopes dashed by these Budget cuts as the Minister for Education has decided that, come September, students on Back to Education Allowance and VTOS schemes will no longer qualify for student grants.
“The Labour Party raised this in the Oireachtas this week and found that almost 1,400 people around the country will be affected by these Budget cuts. These are people who perhaps didn’t finish school or get a good Leaving Cert and have already started on Access to Education courses. They did this on the understanding that when they finished financial help would be available to help them pursue a third level course. Now, half-way through their access course they have been told they will be ineligible for student grants come September. This is not just unfortunate, it is unfair.
“I understand that the Government will save around €4 million a year by removing the eligibility for student grants from those on Back to Education Allowance schemes and those doing Post-Leaving Cert courses under VTOS.
“This will save a small amount of money but it is doing so by cutting off the best chance these people have of improving their job prospects through education. Surely in this time of massive unemployment the Government needs to be supporting people, rather than limiting their opportunities. Leaving people on the dole is not a saving.
“I know of many people living in Bray who have already started access courses with the intention of continuing on to degree courses. The Minister for Education’s decision to cut their financial aid is going to have a serious impact on their ability to achieve that goal. The access courses are specifically designed to give people without the usual educational requirements, or those from disadvantaged backgrounds, access to Third Level education. I despair at the fact that this will mean that access to education will be limited to those who can afford it and denied to those who may need it most”, concluded Cllr. McManus.
Cllr 
