USI Student Life
The Union of Students in Ireland will hold a public demonstration in opposition to Ireland’s third level registration fee.
The demo will be held at 1pm today (October 27th) outside Dail Eireann.
Ireland’s registration fees have increased by 124% since 2002 and now cost at least €1500.
Fees were abolished so that government would take responsibility for funding Higher Education in this country.
The USI believes that public funding is the fairest and most efficient way to cover the cost of education.
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 00:00
The USI is deeply angered by Minister Batt O’Keefe’s latest attack on Third Level students.
The education minister has announced plans to reform the student grant system in the 2010/11 academic year.
As part of these reforms, mature students and students from agricultural and disadvantaged backgrounds will be targeted.
The USI is expressing deep concern that the lack of an adequate financial support system and the constant threat of fees will significantly decrease the numbers of students being able to access third level education in Ireland.
USI President, Peter Mannion, said:
“Minister O’Keefe’s announcement to increase income limits for the student maintenance grant is merely a smoke screen to distract from his plans to make grants less attainable for those who are most in need of support.
This does not breed confidence in his previous promise to ‘family proof’ the re introduction of Third Level fees and I call on his Cabinet colleagues and Fianna Fail backbenchers to consider the hardship that these cuts will have on their constituents.
The minister’s decision to disregard income tax adjustments for farm stock relief when means-testing for student grants is wholly reckless. This will pose a direct threat to students from agricultural families, who wish to access Third Level education.
Meanwhile, students from lower income families may not qualify for a maintenance grant in full in 2010, when social welfare allowances become included in the means-testing process.
Some mature students, who have decided to work or travel abroad for over two years before returning to college, will not be eligible under the proposed student grants system in 2010.
It’s an absolute disgrace that this minister has been given free reign to continuously attack students across Ireland, whether they are four years or 74 years of age.”
USI is the sole national representative body for over 250,000 students in Ireland.
For the past 50 years, the organisation has worked tirelessly for the rights of students in these colleges.
We look forward to many more years of campaigning for a better education system, fairer student support, diversity in access to education, and adequate funding for all of its member students, including those in NUI Maynooth.
Wednesday, 10 September 2008 10:07
The USI strongly condemned Minister O Keeffe’s personal support for the reintroduction of third level fees, accusing him of being misguided and out of touch with the everyday concerns of students and their families.
According to the latest of Bank of Ireland Survey the average cost of going to third level in Ireland stands at just over €38,000, for a four year degree. According to USI, if fees were reintroduced the cost would almost inevitably rise to beyond €70,000, making higher education an unaffordable luxury for most average families.
The latest OECD Report detailed how Government spending on education has been significantly lowered over the years.
The proportion of Ireland’s GDP invested in education has decreased from 5.2% in 1995 to 4.6% in 2005.
USI President Shane Kelly said
“After decades of underinvestment in Irish education, this Government now wants to use Irish students and their families as scapegoats for such Government underinvestment. This would be a very short sighted approach to the long term problem of funding in our education system.”
“Not only would the return of fees be a disaster for students and their families, but it would put at risk the very idea of our knowledge economy by placing a barrier in front those wishing to further their education. The Minister must reexamine the long term effects of this short sighted proposal”.
“USI is committed to a free and fair education system, where everyone can reach their potential regardless of how wealthy they are.”
1. Fees won’t cut costs during the recession
2. Fees will increase government debt and emigration
3. Fees will be cheaper for the rich & dearer for the poor
4. Fees will restrict access to third-level education
5. Third-level education is already underfunded
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