The Union of Students in Ireland has stepped up its fight against Third Level fees with the launch of its new ‘Demand: A Better Future’ campaign.

As part of the campaign, the USI is urging families around the country to take an active part in the fight for free Third Level education. We are impelling the people of Ireland to lobby their local TDs to reject any re-introduction of college fees, including the implementation of a deferred-loan system or a graduate tax. The ‘Demand: A Better Future’ campaign is being supported the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT).

USI President, Peter Mannion, said: “The Minister for Education, Batt O’ Keefe, has given his Cabinet colleagues a deadline of September 15 to give their views on his proposals to re-introduce Third Level fees. In the run up to this deadline, we are urging the people of Ireland to ‘DEMAND: A BETTER FUTURE’ for the youth of Ireland and for generations to come. 

As part of our campaign, the USI and its college affiliates have contacted every TD in Ireland to find out their official stance on the fees issue. On the back of this survey, we will be distributing flyers in constituencies around Ireland, and taking out adverts in both local and national media. This literature will advise citizens on how best to lobby those local politicians, who either did not respond to our survey, or who are pro-fees. If Minister O’Keefe’s colleagues support his proposals to bring back college fees, people already struggling financially will suffer even more. The USI will not allow students and their families to be used as scapegoats for a decade of underinvestment in education by the Government. It is a disgrace that the students of Ireland will receive the CAO results today, but are still unsure as to whether they will be liable to pay college fees in the future.”