The Good Life: You win some, you lose more!

Gemma Good

I have to say I actually like my morning walks to college, especially at this time of year - Autumn is my favourite season. In the coming weeks, I could be writing a different story when it's lashing rain out, in which case I will either drive or get the bus - more than likely the latter with diesel prices gone sky high thanks to Budget 2022.

Not to worry though, once I make the 245km trek down to the city, I can use public transport for half the price. As if that’s going to make much difference to me coming from the sticks of Cavan. Where do you even start to get a bus to Limerick? Not a rhetorical question by the way, but preferably a means that takes less than five and a half hours.

As I pondered my options, streams of students hastily headed in the one direction trying to make the dreaded nine o’clock lecture. That’s when I saw them. A pair of brown dealer boots walking in the opposite direction, towards me. A common sight in Cavan, this was the first time I have seen them in Limerick. Jeans and a hoodie with the hood up, as if he was just after stepping out of the mart. However, this lad was far from the ringside. He was lost and more than likely disorientated from the night before.

The walk of shame, the stride of pride, whatever you want to call it, he was doing it and he definitely wasn’t the only one you can be assured. As he neared I got a look at his face, I thought I recognised him – a friend of a friend. I quickly decided to let him walk past before calling his name, just so it wouldn’t be embarrassing if it wasn’t him. Sure enough, he turned. Like I had guessed he was lost, and after a bit of slagging, I showed him where to go. No I won’t be naming him, but he is not from Cavan.

The hot topic of conversation in class that morning was how students fared out in the budget. The general consensus was it could have been better, but it could have been a lot worse too. The minor changes to the SUSI grant were discussed. As of next year, the income threshold will increase by €1,000, the distance to qualify for the grant (currently 45km) will move to 30km, which means more families will be able to get the grant. Finally, payments will increase by €200.

All positive I guess, until you consider that right now the average monthly payment of €300 just about covers half of your rent. I know this is set to increase, but it won’t be long until landlords jump on the bandwagon and up the rent also. Then you have to eat, pay for transport, random college expenses and go out obviously... Realistically, students can’t go to college without the help of their parents/guardians. Even with the minimum wage, set to increase to €10.50 an hour, students can only work part time. Although a lot of us forget, we actually do have to attend college.

Last on the agenda to be discussed was free contraception for women aged 17-25, which reminded me of my encounter this morning. It has been described as a step in the right direction by many, which it definitely is. However I think the most crucial step is education and understanding. At nineteen years of age, I have never once been spoken to about contraception by any breed of a professional. Of course I got the ‘the talk’ in school and participated in various consent workshops, but that’s about the height of it.

There’s a certain shame to speaking about contraception and, according to the girls, the topic is a 'no go' area at home. Why is this? I mean it’s pretty important in my opinion. As we debated our thoughts on the subject, one girl in class made a very good point, the fact that women do not stop having children after the age of 25. Further online discussions brought a range of other issues to the forefront. Why are contraceptives not made available for both sexes? Is this measure placing the responsibility with the female? And of course the age old conversation of premarital sex. My thoughts on that one is to mind your own business.

Thankfully, we don’t live in the 1900s and it is a relatively free country. I do think contraceptives should be available to males and females, as we’ve all heard at one point in our lives – it takes two to tango. And yes, they should be made available to people who are over 25 also.

In summary, I think this year’s budget went down the same as any other year. We gained some, but we are still losing more. Whatever we did get wasn’t enough, the country folk are still deprived, the taxpayer is still being taxed and students are still struggling. The landlords are laughing all the way to the bank and God only knows what the Government is up to. We’re still fit to complain though, so it’s all good.