Students occupy Dept of Transport in Dublin

Ten students from several Dublin colleges have staged an overnight occupation of the offices of the Department of Transport in protest at plans to reintroduce third-level fees.

Yesterday, a number of students occupied the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and chained themselves to the railings of the Dail to highlight their opposition to cutbacks in the Back to Education allowance and Fianna Fail plans to re-introduce fees.

USI spokesman Noel Hogan, who took part in the overnight occupation, said students were left with no option but to take action after being ignored by Education Minister Seamus Brennan.

He also accused Fianna Fail of irresponsibility by suggesting the re-introduction of fees when many intending students were preparing to sit their Leaving Cert.