‘Symbolic’ protest over fees increase

THOUSANDS of college students are under pressure to pay increased registration fees in the coming weeks while student leaders wait to discuss the issue with Education Minister Noel Dempsey.

That was the message from Union of Students in Ireland (USI) president Colm Jordan as members from around the country chained themselves to railings at the Department of Education, Government Buildings and Fianna Fáil headquarters in Dublin.

Their aim was to stay locked there for 274 minutes, one for each euro of the increase in what students called "back-door fees" announced last month by Minister Dempsey. However they were removed but not arrested by gardaí at Government Buildings and at the Department of Education.

"The Government has chained students to poverty with its actions in recent months, and today's actions are a symbol of this," said Mr Jordan. "Without as much of a whisper of warning, college registration fees were raised by €274, adding another link to the chain of disadvantage that prevents thousands from realising their academic promise."

Mr Jordan said USI has asked to meet the minister to discuss the 69% rise, from €396 to €670.

"We have had no response so far, but while the minister has been holiday he has also been on the radio and appearing in the newspapers about many other issues. It feels like this matter is just not being taken seriously," he said.

"Everybody is entitled to a holiday but students can't even take one because they are forced to work to get enough money to put them through college."

He said a series of protests were planned for the coming weeks and months as a last resort because Minister Dempsey had refused to acknowledge their call for a meeting.

Mr Jordan said they had to resort to peaceful protest because they can not go on strike or withdraw labour and all they want to do is sit down and discuss the issues of concern to the 250,000 students affiliated to USI.

However a Department of Education spokesperson said Mr Dempsey had been asked by a number of education groups to meet with him and he will meet them all, including the USI.

Three of the protestors locked themselves to the gates of Government Buildings but had the handcuffs cut by gardaí using bolt cutters and were cautioned. Gardaí used a master key to open the handcuffs of three others at the Department of Education and Science in the city centre, while five students remained tied to the rails at Fianna Fail headquarters until the 274 minutes elapsed at 3.34pm.

A party spokesperson said they had no problem with the protest, but said the issues were a matter for the Department of Education rather than Fianna Fáil.