THOUSANDS OF the brightest young people in the State will be forced to emigrate if the Government proceeds with a proposal to cut all grants to postgraduate students, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said yesterday.
The union was responding to a report in the Sunday Business Postthat the Government planned to abolish all financial support to new postgraduate students from September.
Almost half of the 9,000 postgraduate students in the State have fees paid and receive a minimal maintenance grant for which they apply to their local authority.
A Department of Education spokeswoman would not comment on the report that such supports would cease for new postgraduate students from the next academic year. The move would save €50 million per year.
Current postgraduate students would continue to receive support until the end of their courses, according to the report.
USI president Gary Redmond said he was dismayed and shocked at the proposal.
“There is not even any pretence at fairness in this proposal.
“A student, no matter how talented, would not be able to continue in education any further than their own financial resources would permit,” he stressed.
The union is calling students, parents and “all members of the community” to take part in its national protest against education cuts in Dublin on Wednesday.
“The programme for government promises a surgeon’s scalpel would be taken to waste and inefficiency in higher education. Instead, a butcher’s cleaver appears to have been taken to student supports such as the maintenance grant,” said Mr Redmond.
“USI is urging every Government backbench TD who less than a year ago asked students and families for their votes in exchange for a promise to protect education, to publicly call on the Minister for Education and Skills to withdraw this proposal from consideration,” said a statement issued by the union.
An undergraduate degree was no longer considered sufficient for many professions and postgraduate study was a necessity, Mr Redmond said.
“Families who are not in a position to pay fees for postgraduate courses and pay for other associated costs would find it impossible for their children to progress to postgraduate courses,” he said
The number of students able to progress to Master’s and PhD level would plummet, and some of the most talented young people would be forced to emigrate, to work or to further their education elsewhere.
Describing the measure as “short-sighted”, he said investing in education was vital to building long-term, sustainable economic development.
“This Government, and its predecessor, have spoken at length about the need to build a knowledge economy, the value of education and the need for Ireland to increase its RD capacity.
“This proposal would mean higher education in Ireland would return to being the preserve of the wealthy elite.
“The Minister simply must reconsider this proposal,” Mr Redmond said.
