Madam, – At a time when children are being encouraged to take honours maths in the Leaving Cert and pursue studies in engineering and science, I would like to outline the fate of my family.
Both my son and daughter took honours maths in the Leaving Cert and then went on to college. They both were successful and graduated with honours degrees, my son in mechanical engineering and my daughter in architectural technology for which we had to fund her in college in England as it is not possible to get this degree here.
Both my husband and I did without things which others consider necessities in order to provide our children with the best education available as we were above the unrealistic income level for education grants.
Both my son and daughter are now unemployed and receiving the dole, with very little prospect of any sort of job and certainly no prospect of a job in their chosen field. Thank God they seem to be keeping some self-esteem. My daughter is going to Australia in search of work.
I am a public servant whose income has been severely cut while being the only person in our household who is gainfully employed.
I hope our incompetent Government, along with its friends in the banks, is proud of the future prospects being offered to my family and a lot of other bright young people who should be the future of Ireland. – Yours, etc,