Students’ appeal for public funding
A GOREY student activist addressed councillors at the local authority monthly meeting last week about the cost of attending college, which can run to over €12,500 a year for parents.
Lorna Fitzpatrick was joined by Michelle Byrne representing students at the three Wexford, Carlow and Wicklow branches of the Carlow IT students union in the council chamber.
Ms Byrne said 2,000 Carlow IT students have registered to vote, with 800 Wexford, Wicklow and Carlow students registering last year.
‘Management at IT Carlow are very much in favour of it.’
She said €600m in additional funding is needed by 2021, calling on the councillors to support students’ requests for the college fee to be reversed gradually to €150.
Ms Byrne said the €12,500 cost is not covered by the SUSI grant.
‘It’s a huge costs for students to be able to afford to pay.’
Ms Fitzpatrick said County Wexford has a huge number of mature students and many lone parents.
There are a huge number of students who will be negatively affected by the introduction of a loan scheme over publically funded education, which was described an ‘extremely important piece of the puzzle’.
Cllr Tony Dempsey said all councillors support the need for further investment in third level education. He suggested that students from well off backgrounds could be made to stay and work for a number of years in Ireland, having been awarded a grant, before being able to emigrate.
Cllr Willie Fitzharris said: ‘We should put more money into education. I want to complement both of you. You are a credit to your facility.’
Cllr Larry O’Brien said if students want more money from the Government they will have to offer something in return.
‘Doctors and nurses are getting on the boats and leaving the country. There has to be a small pay back. In America students pay $300,000, $400,000, $500,000 to go to college..’
Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said: ‘It was a very good presentation and I can appreciate how much work you do.’
He suggested that students from Dublin and across the country could come to study in County Wexford.
Ms Fitzpatrick said IT Carlow created a farm management course arising from an expressed need for it by students in the region.
‘That was a follow up from listening to the community. IT Carlow plans to improve the campus in IT Wexford and to have more courses for students to attend.’
Cllr Malcolm Byrne asked the students would they prefer to cap the number of students who can attend college or the introduction of student loans.
‘In the Australian model graduates don’t pay back anything until they are earning over €38,000.’
Cllr Johnny Mythen said third level education should be publically funded.
Ms Byrne said the level should be set far below €38,000, pointing out that some students would seek jobs for less than this sum to avoid having to pay back the loans.