US student fund an obscene waste of money

THE Government is currently passing legislation to fund the US-Ireland Alliance to administer scholarships for US students here. This will cost €20 million and fund approximately 60 students for more than five years.

That means that it will cost approximately €4 million to send 12 students to Ireland in a year. As they say in the US, “do the math”.

That works out at more than €330,000 for one student to spend a year in Ireland “learning about our history, conflict, etc”.

Does it really cost more than €300,000 to live in Ireland for a year? Why have our politicians not asked this question? The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is currently seeking a number of private organisations to train and re-skill people aged under 35 through the Labour Market Activation Fund. The cost of the fund? €20m. It aims to help up to 3,000 people, many of whom are unemployed. Is helping 3,000 people who are having major difficulties a better way to spend €20m than funding 60 students?

How many special needs assistants would we be able to keep in our schools with €20m?

I am deeply concerned about this legislation which I firmly believe is an obscene waste of taxpayers’ money.

Jack Kavanagh

Clanmawr

Corbawn Lane

Shankill

Co Dublin