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AS MANY AS 20,000 students as well as their parents and families are expected to march in Dublin today to protest against the possible re-introduction of third-level fees.
Crowds will gather at 12.30pm in Parnell Square and will march to Government buildings where they are expected to arrive at 2.30pm.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) says that nearly 200 buses will carry students from college campuses across the country to the capital to participate in the march.
As well as protesting against the re-introduction of fees, students will march against any possible additional cuts to student maintenance grants in the forthcoming Budget.
Over the weekend it was reported that the Government was considering scrapping post-graduate grants in a bid to save €50 million.
USI president Gary Redmond has urged Education Minister Ruiarí Quinn to honour his pre-election promise as the Labour Party’s education spokesperson to oppose any new form of third-level fees if in government.
Redmond said in a statement:
Ireland is tragically losing the future drivers of our Smart Economy, with thousands of valuable graduates having already left Irish shores and many thousands more preparing to follow suit.There are currently three choices for young Irish people – college, emigration or the dole. Any increase in college fees or additional cuts to student supports will ensure that a third-level education is not an option for thousands of young people across the country.
The credibility of the Coalition Government and its political parties is under the spotlight on this issue and the USI is vigorously campaigning to ensure that pre-election pledges are honoured.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland he insisted that the current education system provided “excellent value for money” for the government and further urged no increase or re-introduction of fees.
AA Roadwatch reports that due to the march it expects Kildare Street and Nassau Street to close and restrictions to be in place on Merrion Square, Clare Street and on other streets in the vicinity. Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.
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Labour youth & Young Fine Gael student members can leave their party banners at home in fact it would be hypocritical for any of them to match thanks to their political association parties
I couldn’t disagree with you more strongly. It’s is the youth members of the political parties who were betrayed most. Both the fine Gael manifesto and the labour party pledge led them to believe the pairs they signed up to placed the same importance on education and it’s funding as they do. Then the parties turned their backs on what they told students and their members. Youth members should be most annoyed of all!
Silly rumours going around about fees of €5,000. This is exactly what happened last year. A huge figure is leaked to scare students, then when the rise is much less, students breath a sigh of relief. Can’t believe the USI are being fooled by the same old tricks.
As usual, today will be a day out for students where they can drink with cans and naggins on the streets. Everyone will have a great day out and maybe, just maybe they’ll say a few things about education (meanwhile their lectures go on without them…) and of course you’ll have the usual breakaway group of Shinners and looney lefties who will try and occupy or smash up (maybe both) some public building like the Department of Finance.
Have fun people but I’ll be in my lectures doing what students are supposed to be doing on a weekday, learning!
You are clearly lucky enough to be confident of being able to continue your education next year despite fee increases and grant cuts. I’m not so confident. I worry everyday about being able to continue my education whilst ensuring my wife and child are adequately provided for. Its not their fault I was made redundant from construction. It was the government who told me that the best way back to work is to retrain and go back to education, this is what I have done and they are pulling the rug out from under me.
I know for a fact that if fees are reintroduced I won’t be able to complete my degree, bar I win the lottery or something. However, for me its too close to exams to justify missing lectures – I won’t have to worry about fees if I fail out ;)
I think it’s pretty poor form encouraging us to take to the streets when we should be in college, learning, as said above.
I also honestly can’t see it having much effect, If fees are going to come in, they’re coming in. Not much we can do. The government already know we’re opposed to the idea after last years protest.
David the only people smashing up last year was the cops smashing people heads and limbs. Some of us will be there as legal obsevers. Unlike the leadership of the USI, the next generation of sell out politician wannabes who refuses to condemn police brutality last year but condemn a non violent occupation of the department of finance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZvj09s0BRk Check it out young woman battered unconscious and dumped in the street
Legal observers of what? Appointed by whom? The student body can make their point without the assistance of outside shit-stirrers.
Mark what qualifies you to be a legal observer. I presume you have a degree or master in law. Maybe work as a solicitor/solicitors aid/barrister. I’d be interested in knowing.
To benefit from any systemic fee reform students should really start protesting against them from the age of about 10.
@David if you ever had had to pay university fees you would know that ?5,000 p.a. is an accurate figure.
@Louise Teggart what a defeatist attitude. People need to get up off their arses, stop moaning and start fighting. Pensioners are the most radical group in this country so far in terms of their reaction to abolishing medical cards for the over 70s, which was about the only succesful protest since this crisis began and succeeded because they really went for it and refused to back down to austerity arguments.
It’s not defeatist, it’s realistic. Students with cans and naggins sitting in the department of finance will not achieve anything bar making students look immature and as if they couldn’t care less.
You hit the nail on the head with ‘the only successful protest’ re the pensioners. How many have there been?
If I thought they would work, I’d be all for it. But I don’t. As I said, if they’re coming they’re coming, and there’s not much we can do.
What we should be doing is asking for a student loans system like the UK, so that if it does happen we can continue our education. Sadly, I can’t see that happening either.
Who is the TD standing with the students in the photo?
Turns out it’s Michael Colreavy of Sinn Féin. Fair play to him for coming out to support the campaign!
@Louise Teggart I agree the method of protest chosen by the students will not work. What they should be doing is occupying universities along the lines of the ’60s students movements and refusing to leave until they get promises on fees. The annual march has become more of a ritual than anything else at this stage, but the solution is not to simply give up but to take more radical action.
Unfortunately the current student union leadership are all FF/Lab/FG hacks – much like the sell out trade union leadeership who organised a few token marches to let off steam but other than that has done nothing about massive pay cuts, job losses and attacks on working conditions in the public and private sector. The student union leaders actually want to ensure the protest is not disruptive which means it won’t be effective. Students need to cop on to thia and start electing fighting leaders & taking grassroots action themselves if the current leadership won’t.
Otherwise the government will see ye as a soft target and come back for more over and over again.
And io hear they are going to camp out tonight, weather permitting. the poor little dotes
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