Mattie McGrath urges urgent support for rural students
Mattie McGrath addressed visiting students from Skiberine Community School and warned that rural students are suffering and that this year's budget did very little to help them. He urged concrete action on travel, accommodation and tuition costs and appealed that students must be supported as the country's future.
Visitors welcomed
He welcomed the students from Skiberine Community School in the gallery and praised them on behalf of the Rural Independent Group, invoking the motto Mulan Aage Aga Chukig Siad and asking for their support.
Concerns for rural students
He said students, especially rural students, are suffering greatly and that little in the budget addressed travel, accommodation and tuition costs. He noted that some families miss out on Susie Grants when incomes are just over limits and that middle-income rural students face added expense.
Budget response summarised
A responding deputy outlined measures in the budget, including a 1,000 euro reduction in the student fee, a 500 euro permanent reduction kicking in next year, and the first student fee decrease in 27 years. The response also cited a contrast with Northern Ireland fees (about 5,000 euros a year), a student grant increase with a 10% rise in January, a one-off payment before Christmas, and plans to make the Susie grant available to 15,000 more students and to change adjacency rates.
Transport and accommodation measures
The reply also referenced a 50% reduction in public transport for students and additional investment in purpose-built student accommodation. The measures were described as significant but not the end of the response, with more support possible "provided the country can afford to pay for it."
Appeal for further action
McGrath repeatedly urged that ministers do more than say they hear students and called for positive action now, stressing that "students need our support" because they are the country's future.
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Goonaan maher, I too want to, on behalf of the Rural Independent Group, praise the students, and my motto is Mulan Aage Aga Chukig Siad. In that fin, I'd like to welcome students from Skiberine Community School who are in the gallery here today, with Deputy Collins and colleagues who are up today, and to say that students, especially rural students, are suffering greatly, and very little happened in the budget for them, we accept the payments that you announced, but the travel, the accommodation costs, and tuition fees, and putting on families. Those are looking against Susie Grants, have some helps, but those who aren't, and if they squeeze middle leg in a car, they don't get allowances, their income is over the limit for Susie, and students need our support, they're our future of this country, and to have them come out today, 11, 11, 11 years you're in government, yes, and you've some legacy left after them, but please, please, as I said, Mulan Aage Aga Chukig Siad, and support them, and don't just say you're hearing them, do something positive for them, because they are our future. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks very much Deputy, and wanted to join you in welcoming the students here from Skiberine, a really fine town, had the chance to visit a few months ago, and you're most welcome on your visit to Dublin here today. What are we doing to help students? A 1,000 euro reduction in the student fee, a 500 permanent reduction kicking in from next year, bear in mind what student fees are in Northern Ireland, for example, 5,000 euros a year, just contrast that, for example, as to what we're doing here. The first decrease in 27 years, the student grant being increased, a 10% increase in January, a one-off payment before Christmas, making the Susie grant available to more people, the 15,000 more students will qualify for it next year, and a change in the adjacency rates, which you will understand as a rural deputy how important that is, giving people a bigger grant if they have to travel a larger distance, a 50% reduction in public transport, as well as more investment in purpose-built student accommodation. These aren't small interventions, these are significant, it will make a difference in people's lives, but it's not the end of our response, Deputy, there will be more, provided the country can afford to pay for it. Thank you. Thank you. and you will not be able to pay for it. Thanks my second��. senator O'IFE with. that is its uniAL and this specialnet.
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