Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has called for further cost-of-living measures in this year's Budget for students in further and higher education. The Cavan-Monaghan TD told the Dáil more supports are needed this year to help families struggling with increased costs, and that students studying outside the State must not be excluded from such supports. According to Deputy Smith, this matter highlights the "inequity" that exists in denying students from our State studying in Northern Ireland or abroad access to such supports. He believes that students should not be disadvantaged because in many instances they were unable to access their course of choice in our jurisdiction, mainly because of a lack of places on some courses. Speaking to Northern Sound, Deputy Smith says that families here, regardless of their children's study location, have similar cost-of-living pressures.
Deputy Smith continued; "I have been given lame duck excuses as to why such students cannot avail of these necessary supports. Those students are eligible to apply for SUSI grants and if the will was there, they could easily be included in any other support schemes. We talk at length about encouraging student mobility, particularly with our neighbours in Northern Ireland, and then we allow administrative nonsense and inaction to deny students from our State getting equal treatment with their fellow students south of the Border."
The Taoiseach, in response, told Deputy Smith that he would engage directly with the Minister on the matter to see if there is a way of advancing it once and for all. Simon Harris added that there will be cost-of-living supports in Budget 2025 and that he hoped that there would be supports for students and parents.
