News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

What's going on around Ireland

CLARE

Students are going without food and some are dropping out of college as a result of financial hardship caused by delays in processing student maintenance grants, according to one students’ union leader.

N.U.I. Galway (N.U.I.G.) Students’ Union president, Paul Curley, has claimed some students “can’t afford rent, food or study materials” as a result of processing delays, since responsibility for new applications was moved from local authorities to the online Student Universal Support Ireland (S.U.S.I.) system.

In December, parliamentary questions revealed that less than half of all students from Clare had their grant applications processed, leaving almost 1,000 students from the county waiting for a decision. More than 2,000 students from Galway were in the same position.
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK

A C.I.T. student says she is “beyond frustrated” after finally being given news that she will receive her grant five months after first applying for it, at half the amount she was originally intended to receive.

Sarah Kelleher, who is studying Early Education, received a letter from Student Universal Support Ireland (S.U.S.I.) last Wednesday stating that she would be awarded her grant. However, the letter said her grant is to be cut in half because the grant was awarded after January 1, when government cuts come into force. Appealing the cut will mean she won't receive any money while the appeal is going through, a situation she is desperate to avoid.

“If the grant is not restored, I’m going to have to drop out,” she says.

Sarah, who is in the final year of studying Early Education in C.I.T., says that she will now not be able to afford her rent for the year and will have no money for food.
[Source: Cork Independent]

DERRY

Stephen McLaughlin says he is living the dream after completing his switch from Derry City to Nottingham Forest.

The 22-year-old winger has signed a three-and-a-half year contract after “The Reds” agreed on an undisclosed fee with Derry City.

McLaughlin caught the eye of Forest’s scouts with a string of impressive performances in the League of Ireland and had a week’s trial with the club last month.

“Things are just going better and better each week for me,” he told his new club’s official website. I came here on trial after I won the F.A.I. Cup with Derry City.
[Source: Derry Journal]

DONEGAL

An Astroturf playing field flanked on all sides by Dubai’s desert sand was a sea of green and gold two weekends ago as Donegal supporters from across the United Arab Emirates came to watch the All-Ireland champions play.

The Donegal players, management, backroom team and their partners are currently enjoying a well-deserved break in Dubai. In addition to soaking up the sunshine, Jim McGuinness scheduled training sessions and a match against a team made of the Middle East’s finest players.

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Nster.com