Student leaders warn of militant action over fees

STUDENT leaders have warned about the threat of militant action by protesters against the Government’s plans to re-introduce third-level fees.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) also predicted that unemployment rates could soar, if the measure is implemented, as it would force an extra 15,000 people onto a tightening labour market.

USI president Colm Jordan said he had written to the Garda Commissioner to say the union could not be responsible for any action taken by students if Education Minister Noel Dempsey pressed ahead with proposals to bring back university fees.

Mr Jordan said he was aware that some students might occupy buildings and have other protests unless the Government abandoned its plans.

While he did not condone the possible use of violence, Mr Jordan said he understood the anger and frustration among students as well as the anxiety felt by 50,000 students sitting their Leaving Cert next month.

“Students are not a trade union so they can’t go on strike. They are not a business that they can threaten to withdraw their financial investment. They can only protest,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference in Dublin attended by education spokespersons of the main opposition parties, Mr Jordan said students would have to abandon their education for financial reasons because of the combined effect of the slashing of budgets for the Student Summer Jobs Scheme and the Back to Education allowance.

Last year’s 69% increase in student registration fees, combined with high inflation levels and the decision of overseas students from SARS-infected countries not to return home for the summer meant thousands of students were suffering real financial hardship, said Mr Jordan.

“To look at this Government’s actions in the past few months, one would think they are actively trying to force under-employed groups out of jobs by dumping students onto the job market,” he said.

Mr Jordan said he also found it insulting and abhorrent for Mr Dempsey to suggest that people opposed to the re-introduction of third-level fees were against increased access to education.

Green Party TD Paul Gogarty said the Government was in danger of creating a new “80s style exodus of the brightest and best” because of the brain drain that would result from a loan scheme being planned as part of the re-introduction of third-level fees.

Labour’s Jan O’Sullivan said the latest proposal by the minister to ask the OECD to conduct a review of third-

level education in Ireland was designed to save the Coalition from a split.

She said it would cause further anxiety and distress for thousands of students and their parents at a time when Mr Dempsey already had numerous reports upon which he had failed to act.

Fine Gael TD Olwyn Enright called on the PDs to come clear about their attitude to a loan scheme. She described the junior Coalition partners as “extremely evasive” on the issue.