Students march to highlight inadequacies in funding

INADEQUATE grants are forcing students to drop out of college courses despite Government claims that third-level education is a priority, students’ leaders said yesterday.

Hundreds of third-level students in Dublin and Cork took part in protest marches yesterday at high registration fees, inadequate grants and cutbacks in third-level funding and access schemes. A small group of protestors occupied the head offices of Fianna Fáil at one stage during the afternoon.

“Students are growing tired of being simply ignored. It is claimed that we live in a society that provides free third-level education, yet thousands of students are forced to leave their courses because they cannot afford to continue,” said Union of Students in Ireland (USI) president Ben Archibald.