SUSI grants must be processed on time this year - O' Súilleabháin

A local teacher and spokesperson for Sinn Féin has said that Wexford students cannot afford a repeat of last year's SUSI grant scheme debacle.  Fionntán O' Súilleabháin called on local government TDs to insure that their administration guarantee that Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) will process third level grant applications and payments on time for the 2013/2014 academic year.

Mr O' Súilleabháin said;

"Last year we heard horror stories from County Wexford students who found themselves without money for the most basic provisions because of the failure of the governments 'revolutionary' SUSI programme.  Many local students were forced to drop out due to the economic hardships they were experiencing.  All this because thousands of applications were delayed, rejected in error, lost and, even now, some remain outstanding. We cannot have a repeat of that fiasco this year."

"On top of all the hardships already incurred by affected students, those with fees that remain outstanding will not be entitled to graduate."

"Last year the government introduced SUSI to replace the work previously carried out very efficiently by VECs and County Councils as their innovate measure to improve the pay out of college grants.  It was a complete failure from the start and many would have very real concerns that the same thing will happen this year."

"Local government TDs, Deputy Paul Kehoe, Minister Brendan Howlin and Deputy Liam Twomey need to represent the students of this county now by insuring that their government does not allow SUSI to collapse for a second year running.  They need to move now because it will be too late when students are hungry, impoverished and being forced to drop out in October."