Students take to the streets in protest at rising costs

MORE than 150 third-level students took to the streets of Limerick yesterday to protest at the rising costs students are facing.

The students who took part in the demonstration came from the University of Limerick, Limerick Institute of Technology and Limerick School of Art and Design.

Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, UL students’ press officer, said: “Students now pay a yearly registration fee of €800. This comes to €3,200 over a four-year course.”

She said the students were also demanding an increase in the maintenance grant, which now stands at €3,110.

Ms O’Shaughnessy said: “This is less than half the amount it now costs students to keep themselves at college. The average costs for the country for a student to go to third-level college is €6,500. This figure would be higher in Dublin.”