Dr. Joseph Morning:

It is a difficult decision. In an ideal world, one would not have to be prioritise over the other. The impact financial pressures can have on a person's mental health cannot be underestimated. Working and supporting oneself through education is becoming the norm more than the exception to the rule. There are substantial pressures associated with that and it has a very real impact. It also has an impact on who is able to access third level education. Certain groups within our population are disproportionately negatively affected while there is no reform to the grant. That has an impact on everything. It trickles down to the people who can get to the point where they can engage in graduate programmes and become trained.