Buses of athlone students to attend dublin protest

Several buses of students from Athlone IT are due to travel to Dublin tomorrow (Wednesday) for a pre-budget demonstration aimed at protecting supports for those studying at third-level.

The national rally is being organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and it’s expected to attract up to 10,000 people from colleges across the country.

Those taking part are due to assemble in Parnell Square in the morning before marching to Leinster House.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent on Friday last, Kevin Ronan, Deputy President of the Athlone IT Students’ Union, said he was expecting five or six busloads from AIT to travel to the event in Dublin.

“It’s designed to send the message that education is important. It’s a public good and a right,” he said, adding that cuts to educational supports in recent years made it harder for many people to stay in college.

“For example, the student contribution charge four years ago was €750. Next year it’s going to rise to €3,000. That’s a massive increase.

'The average grant is €3,000 but the average cost of education is €10,000, so people are having to get jobs, which are not easy to find, and rely on support from others to help them remain in education.

“If the costs go up any further they won’t be able to continue and that will be damaging to Ireland because it will mean we won’t have the graduates coming out of college to fill any jobs that might be available.”

The rally is seeking to ensure that there will be no further increases to the student contribution charge, and no cuts to student grants, student assistance funding, or the back to education allowance.