The NUI Galway Students’ Union will host a ‘town hall’ type meeting tonight at 8pm in The Harbour Hotel, on funding cuts to third level education.
The SU says the meeting will give students and their parents a chance to question TDs and other public representatives on how they intend to address the increasing cost of education and the decreasing supports available to students. Labour Party chair and Galway East TD Colm Keaveney has noted his intention to attend.
According to the SU, the Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has increased the annual student contribution by €1,000 and has cut the maintenance grant by seven per cent. The criteria to qualify for a maintenance grant have also been drastically changed which has resulted in supports to thousands of students being cut. The SU also points out that 44 per cent of NUI Galway students are in receipt of a maintenance grant, which is higher than any other Irish university.
“The lead up to the next Budget is an extremely tough time for students and their parents with kite after kite being flown threatening all kinds of cuts,” said SU president Paul Curley. “This meeting will allow the public to tell our representatives that they cannot continue to choke education.”
