Grant delays sees students quit college

Laois/Offaly TD Brian Stanley has claimed today (Friday) that delays in processing third level student grants is forcing some students to quit college. Grant applications from first time students are this year being dealt with by the centralised SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) system. With many students still waiting to hear the outcome of their application Deputy Stanley has branded the new system "an unmitigated disaster". He said many first time students now find themselves in dire financial straits, having run up debts paying for accommodation, travel, school costs and more, and are being forced to abandon their studies as they can't wait for grants any longer. "My constituency office has been contacted by many first year students who are angered and frustrated with SUSI and their appalling treatment by a failed state system," Deputy Stanley said. "One distraught young student, who is a lone parent with a small child, said yesterday that she won't be returning to college after the Christmas break because she just can't afford it any longer. The debts she owes since the beginning of the college year means she is unable to even provide a proper Christmas for her child. She said that she was making every effort and many sacrifices to further her education to secure a future for herself and her child but feels that the state has failed them both miserably. This situation is replicated across the whole country and has to stop."