‘No student should be disadvantaged by period poverty’ – Minister Harris
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Minister Harris with Luke Connolly, Tom Kane and Mateo Diaz at Mullingar Community College.Image 2 of 2
Ministers Harris and Burke at Belvedere last week with some of the horticulture students and tutors, staff from Westmeath Community Development and Cllrs Emily Wallace and Frank McDermott. Included are John Smyth, manager, Horticulture School; David Jones, director of services, Westmeath County Council; and Frank Murtagh, Westmeath Community Development.No students should be disadvantaged in their education by period poverty, Minister Simon Harris stated when he visited Mullingar on Monday of last week, March 7.
Deputy Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, was here at the invitation of Minister of State, Peter Burke, TD, and he started his visit at the Longford Westmeath Education Training Board in Marlinstown Business Park, where he announced the roll out of free period products in the further education and training sector in a pilot programme in the ETBs.
“The provision of free period products is a really important initiative. It seeks to ensure no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty, said Minister Harris.
“We have worked with our higher education partners to provide these products and today, we are taking another step forward by extending this important project to the further education and training sector.”
The next stop for the minister was Mullingar Community College, where he addressed senior cycle and PLC students and outlined the range of options now available on the CAO.
“There are avenues for all students who want to pursue further education. There are more places in third level education this year than at any other time in the history of the state,” said Minister Harris.
“For the first time, apprenticeships are now accessible through the CAO and I want students to consider all their options.”
In a question and answers session students raised queries on further education with the minister, and he was presented with a transition year hoodie in recognition of his participation in the 100 Days of Walking campaign.
Minister Burke also addressed the group of students, staff and board members and commended the efforts that all young people had made to deal with the Covid-19 restrictions.
“We want students to take stock of all the options that are open to them,” he said. “I pursued accountancy in NUIG and I took up an apprenticeship in Mullingar with Stephens Cooke and Associates.”
The ministers then took a tour of the Belvedere Horticultural Centre classrooms, polytunnel and gardens, and met students and staff who were working and demonstrating their skills.
“This is a fabulous facility for students to be able to hone their skills,” said Minister Burke. “It is great to chat to students and see how many have progressed from this course to other Horticultural courses and also into the workforce.
“It is great to see people taking stock of their lives and deciding on horticulture as an option – it shows you how the recent Covid-19 restrictions have influenced people to do what they love,” said Minister Burke.
Then followed a brief tour provided by Jason McKevitt of Columb Barracks to view the extensive site and review the proposals and public consultation process as carried out by the Land Development Agency.
Free period products
Free period products will be provided to learners at Longford Westmeath ETB from this week, as part of the campaign by Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI). The ‘Worryfree’ campaign was launched after the publication of the government’s ‘Period Poverty in Ireland’ report last year, which revealed that around 85,000 women are at risk of period poverty.
ETBI carried out research into period poverty in Ireland to explore how ETBs could help. The ‘Worryfree’ pilot scheme will provide a roadmap for the roll out of the project on a larger scale through the 16 ETBs.
Director of Further Education and Training at ETBI, Dr Fiona Maloney, said: “ETBI is delighted Longford Westmeath ETB is part of the ‘Worryfree’ initiative. We know that period poverty is a problem in Ireland and this campaign will help ensure learners can focus on their education and training programmes without having to worry about the cost of period products.
“We hope to see this pilot scheme prove successful and for the ‘Worryfree’ campaign to become a permanent fixture in every ETB in Ireland.”
The eight education boards participating in the pilot scheme are: Longford Westmeath ETB, Tipperary ETB, Donegal ETB, Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB, Kerry ETB, Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB, Cavan and Monaghan ETB and Waterford and Wexford ETB.