Our news team will be live-blogging the USI demonstration starting at 15:30. For more regular updates, follow us on Twitter @universitytimes.
15:45 – Low turnout at the USI demonstration amongst Trinity delegates in Front Square due to torrential rain.
15:55 – Delegation is leaving for Molesworth Street, turnout is extremely low with approximately 40 people present.
16:02 – Trinity delegates currently at Molesworth Street.
16:11 – The Gardai have estimated approximately 800 total student protesters present.
16:15 – Statement from Glenn Fitzpatrick, DIT SU President – ‘education is a right, not a privilege’.
16:16 – Glen Fitzpatrick: ‘if the government keeps attacking vulnerable students, they are burning a bridge’.
16:18 – Paddy Guiney, Campaigns Officer for USI: ‘we’re not taking anymore’. Chants of ‘no ifs, no buts, no education cuts!’ from crowd
16:20 – NCI SU President James Duffy: ‘the solution is education, education is the key to the shackles that are holding this country in recession’.
16:21 – Paddy Guiney: ‘they say cut back, we say fight back’. Many students leaving the protest as it starts to rain.
16:22 – IT Tallaght Welfare Officer: ‘students of Ireland, stand up for yourselves, your friends and future generations’.
16:27 – Key slogan of ‘we don’t need no emigration, all we need is education’ can be heard.
16:28 – Tom Lenihan, President of TCDSU speaking – grant is so important to us, if it’s cut there will be people who won’t be returning to college.
16:29 – Tom Lenihan – ‘every single one of you represents the student that has dropped out of college’.
16:31 – DIT student speaking – ‘we’re not going to emigrate before the next election, so we’ll vote you out’. Eight colleges now present at Dublin Demo.
16:34 – Ben Finnegan from Maynooth Students’ Union – ‘we need to encourage the government to do anything we can to give us jobs after college’.
16:35 – Maynooth Student Union President – ‘student involvement is what will make the difference’.
16:37 – Blanchardstown SU President – ‘fees will be up to €3,000 by 2015, students must not let this happen’.
16:39 – It has been reported that a group of Trinity students have stopped traffic on Nassau Street as a ‘breakaway protest’.
16:40 – Joe O’Connor, Union of Students in Ireland President (USI) – ‘we’re sending a message as a clear and unified front saying we’re not taking it anymore’.
16:41 – ‘Grant gives only 84 euro a week […], one in twelve students will have to drop out of college’ – USI President, Joe O’Connor.
16:42 – ‘Fairness went out the window two or three years ago’ – Joe O’Connor.
16:43 – ‘Brendan Howlan said that the education system is the driver for recovery of economy… let’s see them put their money where their mouth is’
16:44 – Estimate of crowd present is down to 500 according to Garda officials. Breakaway protest has been stopped.
16:47 – All students present are now crouching as a stunt to represent students crushed by cuts to the grant.
16:48 – Speaking about the Student Elector Registration Database (SERD), Joe O’Connor threatens TDs saying that ‘targeted cuts will be matched with targeted voting’.
16:51 – USI President – ‘if the government does not get the message we will be back… we will meet them at the ballot box’.
16:52 – Joe O’Connor was the last speaker at the demonstration, the crowd is beginning to disperse.
