Madam, - At the launch of the education and youth programme for Ireland's EU presidency the Minister for Education preached that "education is the key to building a competitive, knowledge-based economy" (The Irish Times, January 8th).
His actions at home in cutting budgets for universities in real terms by over 10 per cent show that this is just more empty rhetoric for the European stage. Mr Dempsey must reverse these severe cuts now we know the money is there to do so. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID GARRAHY,
Welfare Officer,
UL Students' Union,
Limerick.
