Tuesday 18 September 2012

Labour suggest it's 'reasonable' to deny student grants


It was announced today that Mary McAlesse was appointed Chair of a High Level EU Group for Higher Education. McAleese was quoted as saying that her goal is to 'ensure that every student, regardless of where they live or study in Europe, will benefit from quality teaching'. Nice sentiment. The former President is, presumably, as outraged as I am at the news that some local authorities are threatening to deny students access to third level education by withholding their grants if their parents have not paid the Household Charge. It is entirely appalling that a denial of education is being used to squeeze the poor, and the Minister of Education Ruari Quinn should be ashamed of himself for suggesting that such behaviour is 'reasonable'. The Labour Party clearly feel it's 'reasonable' to deny the children of poor families an education in order to bail out bondholders and banks. It's an utter lie to suggest that the money from the Household Charge is going to local services, this money is only going to fill the gap created by cuts.