The Government’s decision to change the assessment criteria for third level grants for farming families is discriminatory and betrays an “anti-rural agenda”.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil Galway East TD Michael Kitt who has hit out at Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn who has confirmed that from 2013, farm assets will be included in the means-testing for third level grants.
“This just pushes third level education further out of the reach of so many families in rural communities in County Galway and across the country,” according to Dep Kitt. “It is just more evidence of the worrying pattern that has developed with this Government’s education policies.”
Dep Kitt cited as evidence that small and/or disadvantaged schools in rural areas have been “targeted for significant cuts to teacher numbers from September”.
“I intend to oppose these cuts at every turn,” he said. “Rural communities will not stand for these discriminatory policies.”
