Student teachers are to march through the centre of Dublin today in a bid to persuade the Minister for Education that they should be paid an allowance to cover the expense of their mandatory work experience.

Students studying for a four-year higher diploma at the University of Limerick have to do up to 18 weeks of teaching practice during their course. Their placement can be anywhere in the State and often necessitates giving up accommodation in Limerick and finding short-term lodgings elsewhere, usually for about six weeks at a time. Students sometimes face the inconvenience of having to find new accommodation when they return to normal classes. The students argue that they also incur expense in preparing their classes. To protest about their situation, the Student Teachers Society at UL has gathered 5,000 signatures, which they aim to present to the Micheal Martin tomorrow. The students hope more than 500 people will support their march to the Dail. . Barry McLaughlin, president of UL's students' union, says student teachers are "put through financial hardship that no other student in the country has to endure".

Other work experience students and students who travel abroad on Erasmus programmes get an allowance, he notes.