Students from rural areas are the new poor

Irish Rural Link said that with a cost of up to €15,000 per year, college education is too expensive for many families.

The group has called on the Minister for Education to introduce a tiered system for education grants.

Chief Executive of IRL, Seamus Boland, told the Connacht Tribune: “Parts of East Galway in particular, and anywhere outside a 50km radius of Galway City are hard hit. Basically, it’s anybody that has to pay accommodation expenses, which can be up to €6,000 per year.

“Parents’ income levels might be just outside qualification for grants, but they are just so indebted in other ways – mortgage, car, other kids at school and household bills.

“It costs between €12,500 and €15,000 per year to send someone to college, that includes €3,000 for administration, up to €6,000 for accommodation and then there are the significant living expenses for food, travel, books etc.

“Students traditionally would have part-time jobs or summer jobs, but those jobs and the hours are gone now.

“Evidence of the increasing costs for third level education can be seen in an Irish League of Credit Unions’ survey which shows that the number of students with loans rose from 11% in 2011 to 25% in 2013.

“This means that one in four students have a loan which leads to a large population of young people heading into the workplace with a high level of debt if they obtain employment directly after finishing third level education.

“Students in rural areas are the new poor, and they qualify for pretty much nothing. And some people have no choice – they cannot get a loan because of lending restrictions. Because of this, students are being forced to drop out of college,” said Mr Boland.

The group has called on Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to introduce a new tiered grants system.

“For equality, you should be entitled to some form of grant, if you are just over the [grant qualification] limit. The Minister needs to study the system for himself,” said Mr Boland.