Families in Cavan and Monaghan forced to pay €1,000 a month for third level education

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson TD for Cavan Monaghan Brendan Smith, has expressed his concern that families in Cavan and Monaghan are being forced to pay as much as €1,000 per month to send a child to college.

The latest Irish League of Credit Union survey has revealed that it costs parents almost €1,000 per month to send their child to college.

Deputy Smith commented: “The latest survey results from the Irish League of Credit Unions confirms that the Government is making it more expensive for students in Cavan and Monaghan to access third level education.

“It is now more costly for families to send their children to third level education compared to 2011. This is a direct result of a number of broken Government promises including the infamous pledge to reduce college fees for students.

“The Government has also tightened the eligibility for the maintenance grant and abolished the grant for post-graduate students. The debacle with the SUSI grant system last year forced one out of ten students to drop out of third level. This is a shocking revelation.

“All these facts have heaped more pressure on already struggling families in Cavan and Monaghan. The survey results gives us a shocking insight into the hardship they face.

“I am calling on the Government to follow through on its promise to make third level education more accessible and affordable for every family in Ireland.

“The Government must also take the survey findings into account when framing the budget and invest properly in third level education. Education should be a universal right and all students, no matter what their economic background , deserve an opportunity to study at third level.”

16th August 2013