Hundreds of trainee teachers from around the country yesterday converged on Dublin city centre to highlight their concerns over a lack of Government financial support for their studies.
Organisers said some 2,000 people took part in the protest march which saw two petitions with 5,500 signatures each handed in at Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's constituency office in Drumcondra and at the Department of Education offices on Marlborough Street.
The students are calling on Minister for Education Mary Hanafin to provide funding to meet the additional expenses associated with the compulsory "teaching practice" element of their courses.
They estimate that on average this amounts to €88 for each of their 16 weeks of compulsory teaching practice and would require a commitment of approximately €1,400 from each student for each of the three years of their degree.
Among the expenses associated with teaching practice are travel, photocopying and buying general teaching supplies.
Shaun Conaghan, student union president at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, said he met Ms Hanafin - who is currently away - recently to discuss the issue.
However, he criticised the fact that no alternative Minister was provided by the Government to meet the protesters yesterday.
"Students are being forced into the classroom ill-prepared and have had to bear the brunt of significant increases in the cost of living," he said.
"Who does this affect, ultimately? It's the children . . . It seems the Government are not concerned about the quality of teachers for the children of Ireland."
The students plan to continue their campaign around the country in the run-up to the general election.
Union of Students of Ireland president Colm Hamrogue said there is a "black hole" in financial support for student teachers.
"Student teachers cannot continue to pay €88 a week without assistance," he said.
He added that it was unfair that trainee guards and nurses received training support but trainee teachers did not.
Labour Party spokeswoman on education Jan O'Sullivan was among those who attended yesterday's protest, which began at midday and lasted about an hour and a half.
She said the provision of funding to meet the expenses of student teachers "would not be a very costly exercise" and pointed out that teaching practice is an absolute requirement of the students' course.