Ógra Aontú: Secretary of Ógra Aontú writes to Minister for Education regarding SUSI concerns

Dáire Tully, the secretary of Ógra Aontú has today written to the Minister for Education, Joe McHugh, with a number of concerns about the SUSI grant.

In his email, Dáire asked the Minister a series of questions:

"Can you confirm if people who apply for SUSI could be excluded from receiving a grant if they are a recipient of the €350 pandemic payment and are brought above the income threshold by this?"

Dáire also asked: "if a student drops out of a course after receiving a higher offer on their CAO form, having sat the Leaving Cert paper in a few months time, will they be entitled to a grant for each year of their new course?"

Ógra Aontú told the Minister that we have been made aware of instances where one sibling in a family is successful in their grant application while another sibling is refused. This makes little sense given that the family income and other details of the applicants are the same.

This is an issue which Ógra Aontú will be pursuing and campaigning on vigorously in the weeks to come. We'll keep you all updated on any response from Minister McHugh!

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.