PARENTS MAY have to decide in the future whether or not they can afford to send their children to college if large increases in registration fees and changes to the grants system are implemented, according to the union representing students.
Union of Students in Ireland (USI) president Gary Redmond said yesterday he expected up to 20,000 students from colleges across the State to protest in Dublin next Wednesday against increases in registration fees or cuts in grants which it fears could be as high as 10 per cent.
“I think we’re looking at a horrendous situation where parents and families are going to have to decide which, if any, of their children can go to college in future.”
Mr Redmond said attempts by the Government to raise the student services charges, more commonly known as the registration fee, would not achieve anticipated savings as they would be offset by those who were receiving a grant.
“Due to the worsening economic climate this year we’re going to see about one in every two students receiving a grant . . . The problem arises that for every €1 the Government puts on to student services charges the State will only receive about 50 cent because the other 50 cent is offset by students receiving grants.”
Mr Redmond said a rise in the registration fee would have a major impact on students.
“We simply don’t know where students are going to get this money from.”
In the past students would have relied on their parents’ assistance but this was no longer possible in many cases, he added.
As well as the registration fee, which currently stands at €1,500, Mr Redmond noted that individual colleges also charged an additional levy of between €150 and €350 for student centres and other facilities.
The Irish Times understands that both student grants and increases in registration fees are likely in this year’s budget as the Department of Education attempts to find ways to reduce its spending.
Sources close to the department said it was seeking to make reductions in its budget – 75 per cent of which goes on pay and pensions and was, therefore, out of the reach of any cuts.
The eventual cuts in education are expected to be “brutal”, according to one source.
Changes to the current student grant, which could take the form of an overall reduction of the grant or changes in the threshold after which students can qualify for a grant, are likely.
This is particularly significant given the acceleration of the number of grant applications, which grew by 25 per cent last year to almost 70,000.
Indications from local authorities are that the rise in the number of grant applications could be even higher this year.
Other areas which the department may look at ahead of the budget include a levy of €500 on bus fees for primary and secondary-level students, as well as plans to amalgamate smaller primary schools.
A spokesman for the Department of Education would not comment on any specific cuts yesterday.
He said “everything is up for consideration” at this stage.