Students protest against education cutbacks

The Union of Students in Ireland has mounted a demonstration outside the the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in Dublin to protest against cutbacks in the back-to-education allowance.

The Government has decided to stop paying out the allowance during the summer months.

USI president Colm Jordan said the allowance was designed to encourage the long-term unemployed and people on minimum benefits to return to education.

"That has been cut and it's an outrage," he said.