USI says costs turning 20% of students off college

One in five students who refuse a third-level place will do so because of financial concerns, exacerbated by the Government’s 69 per cent student charges increase, the Union of Students of Ireland (USI) claimed today.

USI president Mr Colm Jordan said the capitation fee had now increased by 111 per cent in three years, and the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) estimates Dublin rents have increased by 79 per cent over the same period.

Mr Jordan said a 1999 report showed 10 per cent of students declined a college offer did so on the basis of cost. Taking the fees and rent increases since then into account, Mr Jordan said that figure "will have at least doubled to around 20 per cent by now".

Labour’s education spokesman, Mr Joe Costello, joined Mr Jordan in denouncing the higher charges. He placed the fees increase in a wider context - linking it to the hike in VHI fees and in hospital and drugs charges.

He said the 69 per cent rise in the registration fee must rank as one of the largest rises announced by any Government. "We have to move away from the current unsatisfactory grants system and towards a system where access to third level education is determined by educational criteria and not by ability to pay," he said.

The Minister for Education got the increase in the cost of student registration, exam and support services from €396 to €670 passed at a cabinet meeting on July 18th.

However, taken in the context of all Government departments being required to make significant savings, Mr Dempsey so far has managedto avoid cutbacks in other areas of education.

Fine Gael’s education spokesperson, Ms Olwyn Enright, said the minister should meet with student representatives to discuss the increase and the grants issue in general.

The timing of the announcement, when many students are working abroad, and the relatively little time allowed for students to budget for the fees increase was also criticised.

USI president Mr Colm Jordan said the capitation fee had now increased by 111 per cent in three years, and the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) estimates Dublin rents have increased by 79 per cent over the same period.

Mr Jordan said a 1999 report showed 10 per cent of students declined a college offer did so on the basis of cost. Taking the fees and rent increases since then into account, Mr Jordan said that figure "will have at least doubled to around 20 per cent by now".

A spokesman for the Department of Education said the move would generate €16 million for the Government. He said the increase would result in a "moderation in the rate of increase in Education spending from 13 to 12 per cent".

He added that under the current grant allocation 37 per cent of university students and 47 per cent of Institute of Technology graduates will not pay the new registration and services fees.

Labour’s education spokesman, Mr Joe Costello, joined Mr Jordan in denouncing the higher charges. He placed the fees increase in a wider context - linking it to the hike in VHI fees and in hospital and drugs charges.

He said the 69 per cent rise in the registration fee must rank as one of the largest rises announced by any Government. "We have to move away from the current unsatisfactory grants system and towards a system where access to third level education is determined by educational criteria and not by ability to pay," he said.

The Minister for Education got the increase in the cost of student registration, exam and support services from €396 to €670 passed at a cabinet meeting on July 18th.

However, taken in the context of all Government departments being required to make significant savings, Mr Dempsey so far has managedto avoid cutbacks in other areas of education.

Fine Gael’s education spokesperson, Ms Olwyn Enright, said the minister should meet with student representatives to discuss the increase and the grants issue in general.

The timing of the announcement, when many students are working abroad, and the relatively little time allowed for students to budget for the fees increase was also criticised.