Students Protest Against Increase In Capitation Fee

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday July 30, 2002 20:38 by Paul Murphy - Socialist Youth syucd at hotmail dot com 085 7238161

Over 150 students took to the streets on Tuesday 30th of July in a USI protest against the 69% increase in capitation fees for third level students.

Over 150 students took to the streets on Tuesday 30th of July in a Union of Students in Ireland (USI) protest against the 69% increase in capitation fees for third level students. This was a very impressive turnout given that students are currently on holidays and the demonstration was organised at very short notice, and showed the anger of students at this re-introduction of Third Level Fees by the back door. Around half those present were local Students’ Union and USI Officers, but nonetheless the mood was for serious action against any fees for education and Joe Higgins (Socialist Party T.D.) received a warm reception for his speech condemning the fee increase as a serious attack on access to third level education.

After the protest, an organising meeting was held to discuss where to take the campaign now. The mood here again was very militant with radical action against the fees being argued for by most. In order to turn this radical rhetoric into effective action, rank-and-file students must be mobilised against any charge for education. For this reason, the Campaign for Free Education is in the process of being launched by a number of different groups and individuals, with the aim of uniting all students across the country in a common fight against any barrier to access for education.

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