Students protest Education Minister’s ‘betrayal’

» Mark Moloney

Before the last general election, Quinn signed a pledge to USI that he would not increase third-level fees.

TWO HUNDRED angry students turned up outside a meeting by Labour Party Education Minister Ruairí Quinn in the Department of Education in Dublin today calling on him to keep his promise and not increase third-level registration fees in December's Budget.

The demonstration coincided with a meeting called by the Education Minister with the heads of third-level colleges to outline funding plans in advance of the Budget.

Colleges and universities were reportedly told to cut their expenditure and implement reforms. The minister is said to have ‘no plans’ to defer an increase of college registration fees by €250 planned for this December.

Before the February 2011 general election, though, and amidst great fanfare on TV and in newspapers, Quinn (pictured right) signed a pledge to the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) stating that he would not increase third-level fees. Many of the protesters held copies of the pledge in the air outside the gates of the Department of Education today, chanting: “Ruairí Quinn – keep your promise!”

In February, Quinn hinted the registration fee would continue to increase by €250 per year, reaching €3,000 in 2015. The USI says that, along with the rise in price of registration fees, students have had their maintenance grants cut by 11% since 2011 and face charges of up to €4,000 for accommodation, €3,000 for food and bills and course materials.

A USI spokesperson said:

“If he follows through on his intention to increase fees to €3,000 he’ll not only have broken his pledge to you, he’ll have increased the cost of college more than any Minister for Education since fees were abolished in 1996. It’s time for students to stand up to this betrayal.”