I reckon with the record number of students going to third level this year, there will be a record number applications for the grant… do away with the grant I say but also do away with college fees…. get a weekend job and put yourself through college like I did :-)

@Fartbox That’s all good and well, but getting a job isn’t the easiest thing in the world for everyone. I’m in college at the moment, and I’ve gotten rid of more CV’s than I can count. I haven’t gotten past interview stage yet.

On the other hand, I think this is an absolute disgrace. Our politicians consistently fail to realise that the generation who are currently being educated in Universities across Ireland are the next politicians, teachers, gardai, entrepreneurs, etc. By not speeding up these applications, young people are having to drop out of college, and what do they do then? Get a job? I’m sure that’ll be easy, without a degree and in this terrible recession.

@jim Ahh. It is my responsibility as a parent to give my daughter the best possible education . Her grant did not cover even her books .
And I have no problem with my taxes going to fund education in this country.

Would you not borrow the price of your education with a view to repaying the loan after gaining a qualification?

@conor hickey – I would indeed, but I’m not sure how plausible that’d be. Are there many banks or financial institutions that will hand out large sums of money on the premise of “ah sure, when I graduate and get working I’ll pay you back”? At the very least they’d be looking for a guarantor, and neither of my parents are doing too well at the moment and so probably wouldn’t qualify. Any other suggestions?

Believe me, I’d much rather pay my own way than rely on government handouts, but that simply isn’t feasible.

@ John. I meant borrow from Government as a student loan. Maybe get a grant and repay it later as circumstances allow after you get up on your feet.
I’m sorry you are worried.
Good luck in College. I hope it works out for you.

@Mary. YNo one really contributed much towards the cost of 3rd level education in tax. Where does it say that tax paid is a college savings scheme?
Anyway, didn’t you get most of your tax contribution back directly in Childrens’ allowances and free hospital treatments? Didn’t your tax go to paying civil servants to keep you safe, and paying for free education for primary and post primary schooling, and paid for medical cards for those less fortunate in our society?

A grant is an abused freebie. Why should somebody with nothing get it for free and somebody with means have to pay twice the actual cost?
Shouldn’t the Government introduce a loan system whereby Education is available to all at the same price with loans (not free grants) being available to all who choose to obtain 3rd level education?

Wouldn’t that also stop the abuse by self employed persons of means who utilise clever accounting practices to appear as if their income is very small to qualify for freebie grants?

Fair is fair.

Your tax and PRSI was never intended to put your child through college. It is your childs responsibility to do that, not mine, yours, the States or the Government

No Patrick , I hold no brief for the Minister but it seems to me that the suited Mandarins in the Civil Service are the culprits . These high paid guys are to implement a simple system to process grant applications. Nothing should be simpler. Instead we have this blasted fiasco. How could any management team get it so wrong? They know the criteria and the timeframe. How , How, How could they mess it up so bad? Betcha they will get their ” incremental” wage increase. Leave the Minister out of this . His job is Macromanagement.

The buck ultimately stops with the minister. He didn’t set SUSI up properly or staff it adequately. And the absolute cock-up that is SUSI isn’t the only reason that he’s inept. Take the lies to the USI over student fees, the somersaulting over rural school closures, cutting special needs assistants and guidance counsellors etc. He’s completely unable to do his job and he’s only there because of his status within the Labour Party.

This is the system working exactly as designed. By demanding spurious documents from multiple sources and refusing to process any applications until an application is “complete”, whilst simultaneously being impossible to contact or converse with allows for payments to be delayed indefinitely. It’s the same trick they used in “The Central Rent Allowance Office”.

Any chance Tisha, that your son might seek gainful employment and support himself through college. Why should your child’s third level education be dependent on the tax contributions of others. The grant system in this country is perverse. End it now, for all.

If there was a chance of getting a job, then he would. But when there’s queues of applicants for even the most mundane jobs, what chance does he have?

Don’t rise to him Tisha, he probably doesn’t even realise that third level education throughout Europe is usually mostly funded by the governments of each country. It’s the only reason why we don’t have the tens of thousands worth of annual fees that places like the US have. Grants are needed now more than ever with the push towards increasing college expenses and employers seeking unpaid internships.

Jason,
On what basis do you make that statement about grants all across Europe ?

Sorry but when I hear of parents mentioning accounts in relation to their child’s grant I always think they are the type to fiddle the books etc to ensure the grant is secured . We all know of the local businessmans son or daughter who manages to get a full grant…

Hi Sean, we are self employed so have to do accounts, after becoming unemployed for the 1st time ever we had no choice but to go mad on the dole of get off our backsides and create work for ourselves. We got off our backsides and are trying our very best to make a go of it. I appreciate your views but it really is unfair to tar all self employed with the same brush. All the self employed I know are working their socks off to make their business work and need support and encouragement to get to a situation where they can start employing people and hopefully be part of putting Ireland on the road to recovery.

@ Debbie I apologise if my comment upset you. I didn’t mean to come across so mean and it was wrong of me to suggest all self employed people like yourselves get grants for your kids by fiddling accounts etc. Hands up I went to far with my generalisation

@Sean, I apologise too:) there is merit in what you say. The whole situation is just very frustrating.

Sean , consider this . Why should parents income be part of the equation ? A student over the age of 18 is a free
standing adult under our laws. Why cannot s/he just say “I have no income”. “Please give me the grant ” ?

@rory
What about ;
‘I have no money, I will work to put myself through college’

or how about

‘I have no money, so I can’t go to college’

Instead its the dependency mondset …

@Conor. It’s actually one child Conor not children in my case. Nowhere did I suggest that my child has special entitlements. An investment in education of our young people is an investment in the future of this country. The amount of the grant my daughter received did not go next or near paying my daughters way through college. Why don’t you read comments properly. I clearly stated that not only did I work to support her but my daughter also worked part time to fund her way . Something she was willing and proud to do.

What would you suggest they pay it back with ? There are no jobs here. My daughter and her 4 college friends have had to recently emigrate in order to get a job.
As far as I am concerned the grant my daughter received was paid for by the taxes I paid for years by working in this country!

@Mary. So, the tax contributions you paid is sufficient to pay grants and cover the education costs for all your Children to attend third level?

What makes you children special and eligible for a grant over your neighbours who pay tax and DON’T receive grants?

Why are you not campaigning for a fairer system where everybody is treated equally?

The system has to change. The days of handouts to some are numbered. It will be hard for potential students to consider the responsibility of a loan and repayment plan when assessing the benefits of an education opportunity. It will also be tough for politicians to deal with the fallout of change.