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Updated 4.05pm
THE UNION OF Students in Ireland has spoken out against Government proposals to abolish all financial support for new postgraduates from next year.
The union claims that by not giving postgraduate students maintenance support and grants, they will emigrate in search of other work and study opportunities.
“News of this proposal has been greeted with shock and dismay by students, parents and families,” said USI President Gary Redmond. “The Programme for Government promises a surgeon’s scalpel would be taken to waste and inefficiency in Higher Education. Instead a butcher’s cleaver appears to have been taken to student supports such as the Maintenance Grant.”
This morning, the Sunday Business Post revealed that the Government plans to scrap state support for new postgraduate students in order to save about €50 million per year.
“In practice, entry to many professions requires some form of a postgraduate qualification. Families who are not in a position to pay fees for postgraduate courses and pay for other associated costs would find it impossible for their children to progress to postgraduate courses,” continued Redmond.
There is not even any pretence at fairness in this proposal. A student, no matter how talented, would not be able to continue in education any further than their own financial resources would permit.”
The value of this year’s Government maintenance grants ranges from €315 to €6,100 depending on family income and commute to college.
The USI has expressed its disappointment in the Education Minister Ruairi Quinn because of his pre-election promises to ensure there would be no increases in college fees or cuts to maintenance grants.
Indeed, many Labour TDs are not happy with the proposals.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie this afternoon, TD for Dublin West Patrick Nulty said he would fight “tooth and nail” against proposals that were floated in the media today.
“I think it is vitally important that as much pressure as possible is brought to bear on the Cabinet to make sure the Budget is fair and does not undermine young people’s opportunity to receive an education,” he said.
“Abolishing grants would be a negative move – especially when other savings can be made,” added the newly-elected TD.
He suggested the Department of Education can save money by looking at the subsidies paid to fee-paying schools and the university pay scales.
“If we are going to grow our economy, we have to make sure that education is accessible to every single citizen,” he concluded.
The USI has organised a national protest to be held on Wednesday at Parnell Square in Dublin from 1.30pm. The union expects tens of thousands of people to attend the rally to put pressure on the Government to “protect education and Ireland’s future”.
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“Big Names”. …. Big Names in their own minds!!!!
Does 2FM train them all to speak with the same voice / accent. It’s like nails on a blackboard.
Radio nova all the way.
@Brian Dunne: 100%
@Brian Dunne: Same playlist since it launched when it asked Metro Newspaper readers to list their favourite rock songs. They have been sticking to that rigidly. You may argue that goes for all the stations, but they inject fresh new songs every week. Radio Nova play the same 2 or 3 songs from about 10 artists
@Jack Burton: I have to agree unfortunately!
@Jack Burton: but that’s obviously what many people like…their ratings are increasing
@Brian Dunne: They do some Powerballads throwback that really hits the spot, they’re not afraid of bringing in the cheese.
@Jack Burton: I love Radio Nova but yes I’ve noticed all Summer it’s the same songs every few days. So many other great 80’s hits, plenty of B-sides not sure why they don’t branch out their playlists more.
There was no collapse in listenership when Tubridy left his radio slot either, all evidence points to high earners at RTE having little or no impact on ratings so salaries are entirely unjustified.
Of course our government doesn’t care and writes them blank cheques regardless.
Big names lol they were so big they were snapped up immediately id say.
Wouldn’t believe a word of it 2fm pure mule
@Brendan Murphy: total muck
@Brendan Murphy: man doesn’t like radio station so believes that nobody else can possibly like it, to the extent that he believes that independent listenership figures are bogus
Plenty of stations much better than that tripe
@Ian Cryan: Spot on .
It’s because those mid-morning until afternoon presenters on Today FM are insufferable….
@Noel Leech: you mean cash machine fm?
@Brian Dunne: oh yeah that’s the one, good man
I’ll stick with Radio Nova. PJ and Jim in the morning and Pat Courtenay for the drive home keep me sane in the traffic.
@Ger Whelan: My only problem with Nova is that they play the same 2 or 3 songs from each artist.
Don’t belive this at all. Pure fiction. Maybe an audit or review of methodology of data collection.
@Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson: Can we have an audit or review on the data that leads you to call this fiction??
@Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson: What a silly statement.
2FM is station of wannabes with notions. Full stop.
Just goes to show, clinging onto talent that once worked well or seemed good isn’t necessarily the only option. There’s always a replacement, there’s always a roll of the dice, it may even be from people tuning in to see what the new shows are like, a bounce so to speak.
Just AI presenting now
Who paid for this survey?….enough said!
Not the station it was years ago…
@Mark Gannon: Ah Larry and the Just a minute Quiz , Good times .
Timewarp Ireland on the interweb , no ads , no DJs , music heaven.
‘In spite of stars leaving’ . Should that not be ‘because of stars leaving’?
Lefty station
@Fintan Pox: right fool
@Joe Kelly: change the f to a t in fool!!
According to the far right on venture capitalist Elon Musks X platform, these figures are inflated by AI. lol
The question is who got greased to say RTE 2Fm has seen an increase in listenership figures
Have a spotify playlist for work over 110 hours long.Will never go back to the radio.2 songs then cringey talk by usually 2 to 4 eejits pretending to be having the craic,ads,news,ads,more talk,maybe a song,news,ads,news,ads,ads,ads,ads.
It’s a joke.One Of those things that only reveals itself to be so bad when you step away from it
Honestly who needs the same news spoken word for word every hour TEN times a day.Never again.
How do they know even if we listen @ all have they a bug in our homes or what coz nobody ever came knocking on my door or rang me up just another white wash poll that means nothing when it’s certainly non transparent
This proves that “Talent” is a liability.
Callan gained more than when Turdity was presenting! I thought he was “”De Talent!??” More proof the Management Haven’t a Clue! LOL!!!
For a national station, 2FM’s listenership is so poor to start with, anything would be an improvement.
Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
It says nothing to me about my life
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play. The Smiths
So it was just the people that left the listeners couldn’t stand then!
Big echoes still rubbish
Mistake in headline. Should be “because of ” instead of “despite”!
JLNR is total nonsense. Not worth the paper it’s written on.
Why does the journal.ie allow some of the conspiracy posts to remain. We complain when Twitter and Instagram don’t take down obvious spam. Many of the postings on this topic with their anti MSM are straight out of the extreme right playbook.
What wavelength is it on.
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