Over the last few weeks, the Students Union has been working with a movement started by 3rd year B.Ed, B.ed and Psych and PME students who wished to raise awareness of the financial burden placed on Education students. This is not a campaign to abolish the Gaeltacht, this is a movement to call for the re-instatement of subsidies and a better regulation of the new system.
In 2012, the Department of Education and Science abolished the subsidy for the Gaeltacht, which had previously meant that students paid €250 for the three weeks. Without the subsidy, students must pay €750 per two weeks. This means that students have to pay an additional €1,500 for these mandatory placements. Students have also raised the concern that this excludes transport, spending money, loss of earnings at home and, for some, the cessation of part-time jobs.
Meetings have been held in the last three weeks and the MISU Prez, Niall Carmody and MISU Vice Prez, Jack Daly have been advising and aiding students in their efforts. A letter campaign has been started, in which students can sign a letter requesting urgent action to be taken to bring back subsidies and regulate the time in the Gaeltacht. Also, students have been urged to contact local TDs and media to gain support and awareness.
If you would like to get involved, the link for the letters is below. Students can sign them and bring them to the MISU reception for posting. There are letters already printed at the desk, that students can sign and save on printing!
1st year B.Ed letter here
1st year B.Ed and Psych here
2nd year B.Ed here
2nd year B.Ed and Psych here
3rd year B.Ed letter here
3rd year B.Ed and Psych letter here
1st year PME letter here