College grants package 'not a panacea' for access problem

Student representatives and children's rights campaigners have given a cautious welcome to the €42 million third-level grants package announced by the Minister for Education. But many said it was not sufficient to solve the problem of access for students from poorer backgrounds.

Mr Dempsey's decision not to reintroduce fees and to increase student funding would be a "huge relief" to the parents of this year's Leaving Cert students, who were facing "massive financial uncertainty next year", the Union of Students in Ireland president, Mr Colm Jordon, said.

"USI have repeatedly stated that fees are not the answer to improving access to third level," he said.

However, while the increased funds would help some students, it was not a panacea for the problem of low college attendance among disadvantaged groups, Trinity College access officer, Ms Cliona Hannon said.

She said a 15 per cent increase in the grant, when compared with what it costs to fund a student, would still leave a shortfall of up to €3,000 per year.

"An extra 15 per cent will not make up this deficit. Sixty per cent would have been a radical change. This will be a bit of extra money in students' pockets."

Children's charity Barnardos chief executive Mr Owen Keenan said any additional funding was to be welcomed but it remained to be seen what level of impact the money would have.

"From Barnardos' point of view investment earlier in the system, at pre-school and primary level is what's needed to tackle disadvantage."

Young people who were at risk of dropping out of school were never going to make it to third level if they missed earlier intervention.

"The extra money is unlikely to be much help to them, funding needs to be much more targeted," he added.

Mr Keenan said he was disappointed that such a quick decision had been made on the fees issue.

"This might have been the beginning of a debate about what sort of society we want. In many respects Noel Dempsey's original decision was very laudable, but it was politically unpopular. The Government shouldn't be rushing into piecemeal decisions."

Father Peter McVerry, a campaigner for homeless children, also supports intervention at an earlier stage.

"I'm sure the funding will make some difference, but the basic problems run much deeper than a lack of money," he said.

Changes in the way primary education is funded, a review of the curriculum and method of examination at second level and major support for disadvantaged families, were more important to improving access to third level, he said.

"I have no problem with people earning over €100,000 paying, but extra funding really ought to be addressed through the taxation system."

The Dublin Employment Pact, which promotes solutions to employment and development problems, welcomed the funding package but said it was concerned that the focus on grants would result in less money for other aspects of access programmes.

"We refer in particular to study supports, student guidance, essential preparatory measures in primary and secondary schools, and initiatives in place at community level through local partnerships," the organisation said.