Students bring debt and poverty protest to Stormont's gates

Students from across Northern Ireland braved the elements at Stormont's parliamentary hillcrest in order to display their protest against increasing student debt and poverty.

Hundreds of students took their protest to Stormont on Tuesday February 19 and to the Northern Ireland Minister for Employment and Learning Carmel Hanna to vent their anger at the abolition of the student grant system and the introduction of tuition fees.

Brian Slevin, NUS-USI Convenor said: “This rally and lobby at Stormont demonstrated to local politicians that access to education should be based on academic ability, not the ability to pay. We are calling on Carmel Hanna to rule out the possible introduction of a graduate tax system and loans with commercial interest rates. Our students deserve a decent standard of living, not a life in debt.”

In response Carmel Hanna said she supported the students’ right to demonstrate and to put their case "constructively" to her Department. However the Minister highlighted the benefit of a £65 million package approved by the Executive last year to address the particular social needs of less well off students in Northern Ireland. The package was additional to the £118 million budget for student support in the year 2000- 2001.

Mrs Hanna said: “In fact, within the last two weeks I have discussed these matters with officers from the NUS-USI, who put forward their case forcefully and reasonably.

“There is, however, a degree of selectivity in much of the information used in the current debate which uses examples drawn from a review of the English student situation and ignores the very real changes that have taken place here over the past year.

“I will be continuing my discussions with students and their unions and will be monitoring regional trends and changes in policy elsewhere their implications for Northern Ireland students. However, I want the debate on this issue informed by facts and by a realistic assessment of competing priorities and will continue to press the case in both the Assembly and the Executive.”

Sinn Féin employment and learning spokesperson John Kelly said student poverty demands honest answers. Speaking on Tuesday the assembly member for Mid Ulster said: "We know that levels of student poverty and debt are unacceptable. What we need is an end to student fees and the reintroduction of the maintenance grant. Carmel Hanna needs to listen to the voice of students who are affected by the failure of the policies brought forward by her predecessor Sean Farren."

(AMcE)