The government is pushing us students to the brink with its new cuts to the county council higher education grants. According to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) website, Budget 2011 applied a 4% reduction to all student grants from January 2011, also “the automatic entitlement of mature students to the higher non-adjacent rate of payment has been removed”, and “the qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher non-adjacent rate of grant (distance from home to the higher education institution) has been changed from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres".

Why don’t the government just get to the point and say they won’t help you financially in college if you’re living with your parents. That is basically what it amounts to.

These measures really hit home when I received notification of my grant approval in the post last week.  My grant had been cut by two thirds.  Yes, according to the government I’m supposed to be able to survive on €1,250 for the entire year.  And it’s not like I can claim the dole, to soften the blow for the summer months of June, July, August and September until I return to college.  Unfortunately my parents aren’t in a financially secure position to sponsor me throughout my college years. Part-time jobs used to be the solution but their scarcity almost rules them out.  Student protests don’t work.

Jobseekers Allowance is €100 a week for those aged 18-21, an increase of €44 per week is awarded to those aged 22-24. The cherry on top is another considerable bump up in pay if the person attends a “Solas” (formerly Fás) course. If you dangle this in front of even the most dedicated student they may think twice about continuing with their studies.

Talented and intelligent young people are being punished for wanting to learn more, to contribute to their society and make a go of their lives;  while some layabouts, who claim the dole have no desire to work, attend a compulsory course for the sole purpose of getting extra money, and live off the fat of the land.  It’s the travesty of our times.

I hear you say “ah sure it’ll pay off for the college-goers in the end when they’re qualified and earning top dollars”.  I’m not so sure. Firstly, nowadays it’s an achievement to fully complete a degree course in college, withstanding the financial strain.  If you do come through, even with a first class degree, you’re facing a struggle to get a job in Ireland.  Earning dollars might actually be the only option. 

There has been drastic change .The so-called “maintenance” grant no longer does what it says on the tin.  How is a person supposed to survive on €24 a week?  “Travel assistance” grant would be more apt, in light of the recent price hikes from Dublin bus.  A 30 day student bus ticket costs €82.

The group of students who will really feel the brunt of all this are those from disadvantaged backgrounds, whose parents are struggling to put food on the table and pay the bills. With people struggling to survive from day to day, why would further education be a priority? Very soon such an education may once again be considered a luxury rather than a necessity. 

I understand that the Irish Government are billions in debt and they are looking to make savings wherever they can. For the last year or two, it has been a case of NCTMP (No cuts to me please!) among the different sectors.

Labour used to pride themselves on defending the financial interests of students in third level education.  Now, they seem to be MIA on one of the issues most vital to the future of our country.