Third-level students are "still angry, still frustrated" and will continue their protests at "inadequate grants" until their demands are met, according to the president of the Union of Students in Ireland.
Mr Julian de Spain was speaking at a "Students' Day Of Action" in Dublin yesterday over maintenance grants. The maximum available is £49 a week, which is received by 36 per cent of the estimated 150,000 third-level students in the State.
USI is demanding that grants be brought up to the level of social welfare, about £85 a week. Mr Garreth Williams, USI Dublin area officer, said huge numbers of students had to work part-time just to live.
"This means they are missing classes, missing study time and missing the broader experience of third-level life. It is also contributing to the high attrition rate we are seeing from colleges," he said.
"Those students could have gone on to pay good taxes but are instead being forced to drop out. In the long run, the low grants will cost the Government more than if they were raised."
Yesterday's protest drew about 200 students from across the State. Following a protest on the new Liffey boardwalk the students marched to Leinster House, where they held another protest. They then held a meeting at Liberty Hall.
Among those who addressed the meeting were Mr Des Geraghty, president of SIPTU, Mr Enda Kenny, the Fine Gael spokesman on education, and the Labour Party spokeswoman on education, Ms Roisin Shortall.
A project team, established by the Department of Education last November to review maintenance grants systems and other student supports, is due to report by the end of March.
