Thousands of apprentices to protest at institutes of technology over charge

THOUSANDS of apprentices are expected to protest at the country’s institutes of technology today over charges being levied for studying there.

As part of their training, all apprentices spend two 10-week terms at the institutes, for which college authorities have now imposed a €223 charge. The fee, which is one-third the annual registration fee charged to full-time third level students, was approved recently by Education Minister Noel Dempsey.

But craft unions described the charge as a stealth tax.