The USI is deeply angered by Minister Batt O’Keefe’s latest attack on Third Level students.

The education minister has announced plans to reform the student grant system in the 2010/11 academic year.

As part of these reforms, mature students and students from agricultural and disadvantaged backgrounds will be targeted.

The USI is expressing deep concern that the lack of an adequate financial support system and the constant threat of fees will significantly decrease the numbers of students being able to access third level education in Ireland.

USI President, Peter Mannion, said:

“Minister O’Keefe’s announcement to increase income limits for the student maintenance grant is merely a smoke screen to distract from his plans to make grants less attainable for those who are most in need of support.

This does not breed confidence in his previous promise to ‘family proof’ the re introduction of Third Level fees and I call on his Cabinet colleagues and Fianna Fail backbenchers to consider the hardship that these cuts will have on their constituents.

The minister’s decision to disregard income tax adjustments for farm stock relief when means-testing for student grants is wholly reckless. This will pose a direct threat to students from agricultural families, who wish to access Third Level education.

Meanwhile, students from lower income families may not qualify for a maintenance grant in full in 2010, when social welfare allowances become included in the means-testing process.

Some mature students, who have decided to work or travel abroad for over two years before returning to college, will not be eligible under the proposed student grants system in 2010.

It’s an absolute disgrace that this minister has been given free reign to continuously attack students across Ireland, whether they are four years or 74 years of age.”