Students hold fees protest

A group of students have barricaded themselves into the Department of Education in protest at the Government’s plans to bring back third level fees.

They are warning that the return of fees will prevent thousands of young people from going to college.

It follows the strongest indication from the Minister for Education Noel Dempsey that fees will be re-introduced.

Noel Horgan of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), who is part of the sit-in protest said the students will stay there until they get a response from the Government.

“There's a large crowd of students outside. There's seven of us here inside in the room. We have barricaded the doors with tables so we are just sitting down here and waiting for a response from Minister Dempsey and of course we are willing to talk to anyone but there must be some kind of movement from the Government side,” he said.