The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) have launched a constant campaign against the proposal to reintroduce third level fees into Irish Universitites. University heads across Ireland have advocated charging fees to students whose family income is over €120,000. This could be implemented through a student loan system similar to the current Australian structure. USI have opposed the suggestion saying the Australian sysem is ‘broken and flawed’.
The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) have launched a constant campaign against the proposal to reintroduce third level fees into Irish Universitites. University heads across Ireland have advocated charging fees to students whose family income is over €120,000. This could be implemented through a student loan system similar to the current Australian structure. USI have opposed the suggestion saying the Australian sysem is ‘broken and flawed’.
Since the start of September, USI have staged three protests against third level fees. On September 1 they organised a “sit in” at the Department of Education calling for “a free and fair education system, where everyone can reach their potential regardless of how wealthy they are.”
This was followed by an overnight “Camp Out” outside Leinster House at which USI President Shane Kelly aimed to “highlight the shameful waste of tax payers’ money, by the goverment, over the past decade.” He contined, “The Minister seems to think that after a decade of waste and underinvestment, the way to improve our Higher Education system is to penalise those already struggling to deal with the financial burden of going to college.”
The third protest took place in Galway on 14th and 15th September where USI gathered at the Fianna Fail ‘Think – In’. The object was to “make their presence felt…in order to highlight the negative effects that any reintroduction of fees would bring”
The issue was first highlighted in July when Minister for Education Batt O’Keefe announced at least a 3% cut in payroll costs in third level institutions and vocational education. The debate sparked the following month when Mr. O’Keefe suggested that third level fees were still on the agenda. USI immediately announced that there would be ongoing protests if this was pushed through.
In a meeting on Wednesday September 24th, the Irish university heads met with Minister O’Keefe to discuss cutbacks and educational funding. No concrete agreement was reached but some heads emerged fearing a new round of cutbacks within the next few months. Trinity’s Provost John Hegarty has announced that the college faces a €7million funding deficit this year.
USI says their latest concern is that third level fees will push more Irish graduates overseas.
