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FEES DEFEATED - DIRECT ACTION WORKS national |
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news report
 Sunday May 25, 2003 12:47 by Campaign for Free Education - CFE
 At a press conference about an hour ago, Noel Dempsey announced that he would not be reintroducing fees and that he had secured an extra 42 million directly from the exhequer to improve the grants system. After a prolonged campaign of direct action which saw tens of thousands of students take to the streets over the last year in USI organised demonstrations and a countless number of direct actions organised by USI and CFE the plan to reintroduce fees has been defeated. CFE played a leading role in fighting fees, taking part in several occupations of government departments as well as a blockade of the Dáil and the blockade of Noel Dempsey when he was in UCD to open the Vet building. This clearly shows that direct action works. It also shows that cutbacks can be defeated and that when enough pressure is exerted the government are able to find money for improving access to education and other public services. However the fight is not over. The government has yet to reverse its recent cutbacks to the back to education allowance which is a critical support for mature students, lone parents and the long term unemployed who return to education. |
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Comments (46 of 46)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46Don't kid yourselves. Mary Harney had much more influence on this decision than all of you put together.
Dempseys decision had nothing to do with the protests it came down to politics.
Fianna Fail didn't want to hurt their middle class support it would be bad for them as well if the PD's were to pull from govt.
The students could have protested as much as they liked if the PD's had have been on board he would have gotten his way and we would be paying fees by now.
The only way to effectively prevent the govt from doing something that the people dont like is prolonged strike action not just marches now and again or the odd sit in occupation.
The above two postings stating the role of politicians in defeating fess are in a certain sense spot on. And in another sense they miss the point entirely.
Yes the PD's oppossed fees and also a whole load of Fianna Fáil backbenchers. But the question is why they felt the need to oppose something that ideolgically fits in quite nicely with right wing thinking?
Personally I think its because there are local and European elections in a years time, FF and the PD's are both doing extremely badly in the polls and they just can't afford to become even more unpopular. This present government has taken such a roasting over the use of Shannon and general cutbacks that they weren't prepared to invite even more protest and negative reaction over fees.
It is precisely because of the militant protest organised by CFE that the politicians in the PDs and Fianna Fáil are too scared to reintroduce fees.
If we had spent the last year sitting around doing nothing then we would be in a very differnt situation.
Is it really just a coincidence that student protest has been more militant, mass and direct this year than ever before (more students protested this year than at any other time in the history of Ireland) and at the same time the government were forced to capitulate and increase the grants?
The minister's announcement today that the government do not have fees 'on the agenda' is a victory won by students and workers against this government.
The reasons why there were divisions among the government parties had little to do with differing ideologies or differing ideas on education, rather it was due to the pressure they felt from ordinary people and the upcoming elections.
The government's decision not to go ahead with fees at this stage is also due to the government's upcoming cut-backs and privatisations in transport, health, bin tax etc. If fees were added to the government's agenda at this stage it would be potentially far more damaging for them.
The actions of students over the past year has been a major factor in winning these concessions from the government.
The increase in grants, widening of the income brackets etc still does not deliver anything near an 'equitable' education system. The Government are still intent on implemeting cut-backs in education- as they have done on the BTEA and the summer jobs scheme.
The task still remains to build activity among students and the transform the SUs into organisations that are not governed by the failed tactic of 'partnership' with he government and will fight in the interests of their members.
certainly excellent news but am i the only one who thinks there must be a catch or something? or at least that we definately havent heard the end of this?
(hi cian!)
While the level of protest that U.C.D. students in C.F.E have ammassed is considerable we shouldent overestimate its effect. Well done to all those involved in occupations, sitdowns, protests etc... Most of these were highly effective in securing media attention for students plight, and in increasing public support but I doubt they scared the government too much. (though id say dempsy was shitting himself at the opening of the vet building) Lets remember that 100,000 protestors couldent change F.F.'s mind about Shannon and 8000 students protesting at the Dáil proably hasnt had any major effect. But that dosent mean we should give up.
C.F.E can take solace in the fact that they have become the radical voice for students in Ireland at a time when U.S.I. were calling for non existant, non effective letter campaigns. Dempsy has done a U turn but id say we havent heard the last of his plans yet. There will proably be another 50% capitation fee increase in August bringing the cost of going to college up around €1000. Keep the pressure on them theres still alot of problems with access to third level education and theres still a majority of highly placed criminals in the Dáil.
Ís dóigh linn gur mór iad na dáoine móra ,mar atámaid ár ar nglunaibh. Éirimís! Ár Aghaidh lé C.F.E.
Is the protest still on on Tuesday?
And when were USI engaged in boring letter campaigns this year? Fair is fair, I thought they did a fairly good job, this year at least.
Is there some UCD notice board where all of you UCD heads can go off and have your chats. Most third level students in ireland go to college elsewhere.
PS I challenge you fools in your own minds. Do i get a grant. Answer: No Reason: "Because a faminly where both parents work in mcDonalds" incorrect. the real answer is daddy is too rich.
Question 2: Why does SWP not run big election campaigns. Answer: "We are ideologically opposed to democracy and wish to see a totalitarian state akin to Stalin" Incorrect. the real reson is you would be humiliated and forced out of your middle class homes to campaign with your waffle. (alternatively substitute Super Rich for middle class)
Question 3: Why does the SWP seek new members on Grafton Street.
Answer "why Not"
Incorrect. the real answer is we are a party for rich kids who feel alienated from the real world because daddy doesn't like their tongue piercing.
I haven't heard what he's said yet. Has he specifically ruled out fees AND loans/graduate tax. We all know how good Fianna Fail are at choosing their words carefully.
ive read the press release (click on the link to read it urselfs). Dempsy states outright that fees will not be introduced. Theres nothing about a graduate tax or a loan system.
the changes to the grants system must be welcomed but after all the FF talk about making the rich pay im slightly sceptical about what FF have up their sleeves.
First off I don't trust the government at all. But Dempsey specifically ruled out an increase in the capitation charge this year.
No he hasn't ruled out graduation taxes or loans, but there is no reason at the moment to think that these will be introduced. Rather than bringing in money for the government in the short term these would actually cost money in administration and would not bring in any revenue for years.
Its worth bearing in mind that the improvements in the grant system, while a step in the right direction, are long overdue and are been paid for afterall by the taxpayer and not Dempsey himself.
Also while a 15% grant increase is a good increase it follows 20 years of increases below inflation so that the real value of the grant has dimished substantially. The thresholds have also failed to rise over the years as incomes and living costs have soared.
The increase in the top up grant to social welfare levels is very welcome, but again this is something that the Department of Education's own access group recommended a few years ago.
All these improvements are welcome, but they are long overdue and are not enough to tackle root and branch neglect of the entire education system for many years.
But there is a pattern. The last year has seen something in the region of 30,000 students taking to the streets. It has also seen at least 4 occupations of government departments carried out by USI and CFE. CFE has also staged a sit in at the Department of Transport and a sit down/ blockade of the Dáil as well as the blockading of Dempsey in UCD.
Result: 42 million extra for grants
NO increase in regisration charge promised
No return of fees
But the BTEA has been cutback and the Student Summer Job Scheme abolished.
The year before 2001-2002, USI organises NO protests of any kind at all, CFE doesn't exist and the only student agitation on education of any kind is a protest of about 50 UCD students outside the Department of Education.
Result: 69% Increase in the Capitation Charge.
Grants increased at less than the rise in living costs
The year before 2000-2001 20,000 students march for better grants, 3 occupations take place. The result is a rise in the capitation charge in line with inflation while every single opposition party pledges support to increase the grant to social welfare levels.
The year before 1999-2000 USI organises just one national demo. Nothing really changes. However in the same year Student nurses organise a sucession of marhces, occupations, pickets and strikes. Result: student nurses fees are entirely abolished.
And yet some people claim there is no link between students organising and the decision to spend 42 million on grants and not to reintroduce fees. Who do they think they are kidding?
There are a number of catches
1. The €42m has come from a once off prvitisation of some sort in the Dept of Public Enterprise. That money will not be there next year.
2. The BTEA scheme is still axed. The grant is still pathetic and does not take into account the real cost of education.
3. The governemnt will be launching cut backs on education through other means.
4. The government has also not ruled out an increase in the registration charge. Some indications hint that it could be put over the €1000 mark this year. They may be able to ram it through as the government will win some support for todays concessions.
To sum it up, this government cant b trusted. They are one of the most right wing in recent irish history and like the rest of the establishment parties are commited to neo liberalism. The will be delivering cuts over the next year. For these reasons I think it is imperative that the protest on Tuesday goes ahead. It will of course be of a different character but we need to remind this government that we are still here and that when they attempt to roll back these gains we will be there to oppose them. And we need to remind them that the grant is still pathetic, USI will not do this.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Minister Dempsey’s announcement of a €42 million package of grants for third-level access, which will benefit over 56,000 students.
Max
The best catch of them all, Catch22
extensions to the Maintenance grant..
what the lord giveth with one hand, he taketh away with the other.
Dont worry guys, they're going to screw you in the long run,
and Dempsey had conceded under pressure last week that no matter what happened it would be next year at the earliest that the fees were to be introduced, so whats changed?
im sure this will go back on the table when its a little more politically expedient.
The water has been tested.
I fear that some of the money comes from cutbacks in Community Employment schemes rather than privatisation. It would be a good idea for CFE to make it clear that they oppose these CE cutbacks. Harney is trying to get a good press out of this while she is continuing her ideological campaign against the idea of a "Social Economy".
A few clarifications on Finghins points:
1) Dempsey has ruled out any increase in the registration charge this year. I'm not saying trust him, but he has ruled it out.
2) Pat C is right that the 12 million from Enterprise is coming from cutbacks in CE schemes rather than any imaginary privatisation. This is a classic tactic by this government trying to pit two sectors CE schemes and third level against each other. We need to be bery clear where funding for third level should come from - taxing the rich and in particular maybe Charlie McCreevy's mates in the horse racing industry.
3) The Back to Education Allowance has not been "scrapped". It has however been cutback, meaning that it takes more time on the dole now till you qualify and that you don't receive BTEA over the summer months.
Saying very much what has been pointed to by others on the Newswire regarding CE schemes.
Government robbing Peter to pay Paul
While giving a cautious welcome to the news that there is to be increased investment in improving access to Third Level education Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Education Seán Crowe has called the Government’s claims to be interested in disadvantaged areas "deeply hypocritical and dishonest".
The Dublin South-West TD said: “Sinn Féin is giving this belatedly announced investment in access to third level education a caution welcome. However, following the inter-departmental rows within the Government of the last couple of weeks, we believe the case is now clear for an equitable tax system which would as Minister Dempsey was saying last week make the rich pay their fair share.
"Working class communities who gain from investment in access to third level education should not be attacked at the same time by ongoing cuts in Community Employment schemes. These schemes in many instances provided much needed relief in terms of providing personnel and resources to primary schools in areas of disadvantage throughout the State.
“Yesterdays announcement was supposed to be about improving access to education. However, the claim of this Government to be acting out of concern for the disadvantaged is deeply hypocritical and dishonest when the money is coming from the Tánaiste's Department as a result of her stringent cutbacks to the very programmes that directly benefit that sector.
“In the face of a very successful campaign mounted by USI and the CFE in winning over public opinion the Government has decided to try and buy its way out this problem by robbing Peter to pay Paul. It is but another con-trick being pulled on the Irish electorate." ENDS
i was told the rooms they occupy when they allowed stay or not important rooms and the occupiers arn't blocking anything directly but it seems strange that they allowed to enter and remain over night without getting man-handeld and removed like the protestors outside dail when the latest US war started?
The SP support direct action against Education Fees but oppose direct action at Shannon against the War.
...that's why.
They can "rule out" all the things they want, they seem comfortable enough with bald faced lies that all the assurances in the world don't mean you wouldn't see fee increases introduced.
touchy little fuckers!
Sorry, but you people need some light shone down on you. Take it on the chin, you fucking wimps.
We do not oppose direct action in shannon. This is a lie and a slur.
We belived that at the time on March 1st it was not the best tactic to engage in tearing down the fence at Shannon airport. This does not mean we oppose it on principle.
We always called for direct action in shannon in the form of workers taking industrial action.
This posting is just setting the record straight. I dont wish to engage in any debate with the shite-stirrers that just wish to throw around blatent mistruths.
This thread is about the Govt's recent defeat on the fees issue. Please keep it on this topic and on the issues facing anti-fees/anti-cuts campaigners.
If you want to keep things on track then stop lying. You did nothing to get strike action. You even refused to lobby a Congress of Trade Unions meeting. Your party spread scare stories about March 1. This is well known. Quit lying.
Lets stick to Education here and to making sure that cuts in Community Employment schemes arent used to save Dempseys face.
i agree with the 'dont mention the war' statement, but a valid point was raised by 'pc': ie: why were these direct actions dealt with differently from the antiwar demos.
simple, the fees issue is a domestic issue and therefore does not come under the influence of the US state Department.
It has been revealed that socialists in Ireland are in fact in league with George Bush.
Richard Boyd Barrett told IMC reporter 'Gaillimhed' that "yes, you got us this time, we're in league with Bush". He added "all that stuff about DA in shannon was not about having cop-on an realising that pulling down a fence was going to be ineffective, it was Colin Powell who gave us orders to shaft GNAW"
Joe Higgins TD told 'Gaillimhed' that "well yes, I have all my speeches written by the US State Department" he further revealed that "all SP members are actually paid by the US Government". It's believed that Joe will now be seeking the Republican nomination for the White House in 2008.
Mr Higgins further expressed a wish that he had the services of Ari Fleischer: "He could have a spin on the SP not lobbying the ICTU Conference, Domnic Haughs scare stories, calling GNAW virtual warriors."
Because they are the only ones dumb enough to always think it is about them.
[Explanation - Gaillimhed was rather obviously commenting on why the cops had not treated the student occupation in the same way as Shannon. Two obvious clues are the use of 'offical' in the title and his "I agree with the don't mention the war' line in the text". Only the self obsessed could read an accusation that JH's speeches were written by the state department into what he wrote.]
Point seems pointless. Criticism not really necessary. Since it seems to be a thread that is mainly UCD studetns I'm assuming that Maximum Bullshit you are a Socilaist Alternative member and are indeed only talking Maximum Bullshit. Fuck Off back home you sectarian shit.
anyone else see a black paul murphy in Big Brother?
Pat c - "It would be a good idea for CFE to make it clear that they oppose these CE cutbacks."
It would indeed. CFE of course oppose all cuts made by this government, I don't think anyone involved in CFE would disagree with that.
I take Cian's correction regarding where the money is coming from. I wasn't sure of the detail at the time I wrote the original message. But the point I was making I think still stands, the €42m is once off money that will not be there next year. If the grants are to remain at this level they will have to cut back elsewhere or bring in fees.
the FF spin doctors have been at it again. We are led to believe that this is an "extra" 42 million when in fact they got the money from CE cutbacks along with the cutbacks in the Back To Education Allowance, the National Education Welfare Board, cutting the summer jobs scheme, pocketing most of the 69% hike in the registration fee. The government is simply re-directing funds from one disadvantaged group to another. Like cian said, its a classic tactic by this government to pit different sectors against eachother.
The trots should be outlawed and put in prison for conspiring to overthrow the democratically elected government led by An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD - leader of the largest party in the country - Fianna Fail. They should be given 24 hours to disown their failed trotskyite policies, and if they refuse they should all be put before a firing squad. The only good trot is a dead trot.
'Trotwatch' how can you dare to critisise the SP for not believing that pulling down a fence in Shannon was the best tactic when you are calling for the banning of all Trotskyist parties. Trotwatch you are a disgrace. Although people on the left may have difficulties and political differences with others we should all defend the basic democratic rights that we enjoy, an attack on one is an attack on all.
Let's not beat about the bush on this one.
It should be obvious that I was not responsible for that message.
Trotwatch, who do you think were sent to the Gulags in Stalinist Russia? Was it not Left oppositionalists and Trotskyists?
Who do you think assissinated Trotsky? Was it not a Stalinist agent?
To call the Socialist Party, SWP, Socialist Democracy, Sparts etc Stalinist is completely wrong.
IMC: I think that some of the hysterical anti-socialist shite that is evident on the newswire should be removed. What's the point in socialists coming on the newswire if they get nothing but hysterical abuse?
"IMC: I think that some of the hysterical anti-socialist shite that is evident on the newswire should be removed. What's the point in socialists coming on the newswire if they get nothing but hysterical abuse?"
You have the right to free speech as long as you agree with the trots, eh?
Trotwatch, I'm all for free speech. I'm also in favour of people having a proper debare on current affairs without gobshite ruining it with their groundless obsession with 'trots'.
It's a fact that many socialists no longer go to indymedia as it's full of hysterical nonsense.
It would be good if the editors would remove the shit stirrers. All 'deleted' posts are moved to another page anyway (therefore it's not denying your free speech). If I wanna look at sectarian bile I'll go to that page.
Note to Editors: this is a serious suggestion. I think this site is ruined by shit-stirrers and I probably wont be back if it continues.
Someone who disagrees with the SP or SWP? So all dissent is now to be silenced! You guys are psychos.
Who shot striking workers? Who wanted to militarise labour? Who shot the Anarchists at Kronstadt after they surrendered? Who shot down the Ukranian Anarchists after they had helped defeat the whites?
TROTSKY did!
To 'Trotskyist and Proud", I agree that what passes for debate any time the ins and outs of the micro-left come up is pathetic and doesn't really seem to further anyone's cause; in fact no-one comes out of it looking in any way attractive. However I don't believe this is an editorial issue; it's for the people (on ALL sides) that engage in these fruitless debates to take responsibility for what they write. On many occasions, article in the form of one-line questions, multiple articles on the same topic etc. have been hidden or consolidated - but I don't agree that simply engaging in the stupid arguments should be grounds for intervention. The publishing model of Indymedia has its ups and downs, and there is a point where steps like what you suggest would make the site 'not Indymedia'. This would be too high a price to pay for the goal of bringing back the socialists or whatever you would hope to achieve. It is hard enough judging standards like 'is it advertising' and 'is it a duplicate story' without also adding on 'is it driving people away'. Allowing Indymedia editors to make the decision regarding the worthwhile (or not) content of a comment to an otherwise OK story is fundamentally at odds with what we are trying to do (well, at least as I read it).
For the umpteenth time, I'll point out that Indymedia is not a discussion board. That means that we don't have the ability nor the desire to ban users, edit comments on a regular basis, etc. But the flipside of that is that the legions of sniping fence-sitters might try to treat the newswire not as a glorified P45.net or Boards.ie . There is a difference between participating in a forum and participating in peer review.
BY ROBBIE SMYTH
"I generally feel strongly about the things I have views on."
This was just one of the words of wisdom last week from Mary Harney, progressive politician of principle! The Progressive Democrat leader strode centre stage this week to lay down a marker that the PDs were opposed to the ending of free fees for third level.
Don't worry, Harney has not suddenly metamorphosed into a champion of equality and social justice. The PDs' support for free fees seems to have much more to do with ensuring what their well off voters see as a perk of power remains, rather than any foray into demanding equality in education.
For the rest of the week, the Enterprise Trade and Employment minister was on message as champion of business, and big business at that.
On Wednesdsay last week, Harney accepted an award from the Taxpayers' Association of Europe. It is a right-wing pressure group that campaigns for lower taxes and legislation to "prevent unjust harassment by tax collectors".
The actual award Harney received is a bronze sculpture and "symbolises the never-ending struggle for survival, strength and self-assertion". During her speech, Harney claimed that the EU is "still defined primarily around the national state" and that "the politics of taxation will remain essentially national". If we lost control of taxation to the EU, Harney proclaimed, "you might as well say that democracy is over, and we have handed over government to some technical machine".
That Harney doesn't recognise the already huge erosion of sovereignty and control over economic policy at national wielded by the EU Commission is bizarre. But if you probe deeper it is not that strange, for the political philosophy of Mary Harney is filled with contradictions. Take, for example, her other hobby horse this week - inflation.
Harney and other cabinet members have been talking loudly in recent weeks about their plans to tackle inflation. Mary has decided that the problem lies in the retail sector and her master plan is to drop the ban on below cost selling, which was introduced in 1987 to stop larger firms deliberately driving smaller ones out of business.
Big is beautiful in Mary Harney's economic vision, as the other part of her plan is to change Irish planning law to allow larger shopping malls and huge multinationals such as Walmart enter the Irish retail market. Retail space in the 26 Counties is currently capped to 3,000sq metres in Dublin, 3,500sq metres outside Dublin and retail warehouses are limited to 6,000sq metres in size.
However, data on inflation shows that retail inflation is very low in the 26 Counties. Food inflation is running at 2.2%.
Stealth taxes introduced in last December's budget are among the largest contributors to inflation. Education costs have risen by 10.4% over the last 12 months. Hospital services are 14.8% more expensive, while general health costs have risen 8.4%. Alcohol and Tobacco prices have risen by 10%, mostly because of government taxes.
However, our new international award winner is not moved to tackle health or education costs. She has picked the lowest contributing factor to focus on.
The question is why? It doesn't make sense. Why is the minister for Enterprise in Ireland being such a friend to international business rather than to domestic enterprises? Fianna Fail TDs voted this week to oppose the removal of the capping of retail shopping centres, which is welcome but still strange considering the relationship between some of their former TDs, councillors and their benevolent developer friends. Not so strange, though, as the principles of power exercised by their PD ministerial colleague.