Student anger over UCC president’s stance on fees

UNIVERSITY College Cork Students’ Union has criticised the college president’s support for increased or new charges for third-level education.

As thousands of students from UCC and dozens of colleges prepare to take part in a mass demonstration in Dublin this afternoon, union president Keith O’Brien said university president Dr Michael Murphy has been unable to explain how many students would be able to fund higher education and what level of fees should be charged.

Dr Murphy and Cork Institute of Technology president Dr Brendan Murphy both reiterated their belief that some form of additional charge, either an increase in the €1,500 registration fee or a return to tuition fees, should be paid by students whose families can afford it to help maintain the quality of Irish third level education.