Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There is no discrimination between people living in rural Ireland and urban Ireland in accessing the grants scheme. Someone living in a town or city may still have to pay for accommodation to attend an institute of higher education. It does not apply only to those who live in rural areas. The cost of accommodation is a problem for people in a variety of geographical locations. Despite the economic difficulties, in recent years we have managed to maintain the payment of grants. They were never intended to, nor could they ever, cover all of the cost of going to college. There are funds within the higher education institutions for which students can apply if there is a fear that somebody will drop out through lack of money.

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