Students furious as Government delays fees announcement

THE Government has delayed an announcement on third-level fees promised for this week, angering students.

Education Minister Noel Dempsey is awaiting the outcome of a review of student support before making any decision. Despite ongoing delays, he said an announcement would be made by Easter on arrangements for next autumn, to allow grant application forms to be drawn up. However, sources have indicated that no such announcement is likely either this week, or next week when Mr Dempsey will be attending teacher union conferences.

The Union of Students in Ireland said it understood the decision has been put back again, while other sources said the issue is still a long way from being finalised.

USI president Colm Jordan said it was no longer just a matter of concern for the country’s 200,000 third-level students.

“There are 50,000 young people sitting the Leaving Certificate in June and they have enough with studying over Easter than to be wondering if they will even be able to afford the college place they want,” he said.

Mr Dempsey told the Dáil almost seven weeks ago he was going to make an announcement about short-term measures for 2003-2004 if the review was not finished in a reasonable amount of time. At the time he said it would be unfair to students if delays continued much longer and decisions were not made. Three weeks ago, he said he could not let it go beyond Easter to make an announcement about the next academic year.

“I have to make a decision so that application forms for a new grants system for next year would be out as early as possible,” he said at the USI congress in Killarney. Mr Jordan said it was unreasonable for Leaving Cert candidates to have this uncertainty hanging over them.

“How can they study while trying to figure this out and preparing CVs for the part-time job they might or might not need for the summer months,” he said. USI has sought legal advice on a possible legal challenge to the assessment of parental income for means testing student applications for college grants.

“It is very clearly unconstitutional, and if the Government persists in reintroducing fees, they will be challenged in the courts,” Mr Jordan said.

Legal advice has also been sought on the Department of Social and Family Affairs’ decision to limit payment of the Back to Education Allowance to the college year.

The payment is aimed at giving long-term unemployed a second chance at education. USI argues those who qualify should have a reasonable expectation to continue receiving it during the summer months.