'Give students free travel to college' urges Kildare TD

Kildare TD Frank O'Rourke has urged the government to consider offering free travel to students travelling to college in a bid to help those in third level education deal with the rising costs being faced by them.

The Fianna Fáil representative wants the free travel scheme extended to students from September 2018, highlighting how this would also be beneficial to the public travel culture in the country and would free up car parking spaces outside colleges.

“As I know from my clinics, the cost of sending students to third level education or further education continues to rise,"said Deputy O'Rourke.

"The rising costs of accommodation, registration fees and transport are becoming unsustainable for many students and their parents.

“We must seek opportunities to alleviate these rising costs and one such way is provide free public transport for full time students, even if it has to be means tested. There are other fringe benefits to this initiative such as developing a public travel culture, remove cars from the road and free up car parking places in colleges.”

Deputy O'Rourke said that he has plenty of support on the matter from his constituents, before going on to outline how he has already spoken to a number of relevant ministers and the National Transport Authority in relation to the matter.

“I do want to acknowledge the work of Independent Cllr Michael O’Brien from Westmeath who has been to the fore in campaigning for this proposal. I know many of my constituents also support this proposal as the struggle to deal with the rising costs of sending students to third level education.”

“I have made contact with a number of relevant Government Ministers and the National Transport Authority and requested that this proposal be given serious consideration. Aside from reducing the cost of further education it will also encourage the use of public transport," concluded Deputy O’Rourke.