Thousands of students will march in Dublin today, calling for publicly funded education and more support for third-level institutions. From institutes of technology to universities, students and staff have called for years for the government to intervene in a funding crisis that has shown no signs of ebbing.
Today, many students and staff will march, from various students’ unions and trade unions, asking the government to fund higher education. With a slogan of “education is in the red”, the student leaders marching today will be hoping their voices are heard inside Leinster House, just days before Budget 2018.
The University Times spoke to leaders within these organisations, both student and otherwise, about why they’re marching and they have put such an effort into bringing members of their institutions to Dublin today.
Sending a Message
“I think today will send a strong message locally to NUIG as a college, but also to the nation, that student voices should be heard.”
Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh, President of the NUI Galway Students’ Union
Education isn’t a Sacrifice
““When we talk about education we shouldn’t ever forget that education is something beautiful, it’s how we look to the world around us, it’s not about balancing a book sheet it’s far more than than that… We can’t be saying to people in order to get an education you might have to sacrifice your home, or send two of your children to get an education instead of three. The morality of that is wrong … we’re the influencers of tomorrow, the much patronised squeezed middle.”
Gary Gannon, Social Democrats Councillor
Everyone deserves an Opportunity
“IT Tallaght are marching today because we believe that education is our right. We are marching for opportunity! For ourselves, our families, our friends and the generations to come after us.
Every single person deserves the opportunity to gain an education regardless of demographics or socio-economic circumstances.
The proposed model of income-contingent loans will only further oppress those who want to access education and those who are already struggling to afford college. We have seen how access to primary and secondary level education has worked and we should continue this with third level education.
Three out of four IT Tallaght students currently access the SUSI grant, that’s 75 per cent of our student body who will be unable to take on a mammoth sized mortgage to gain an education. The further 25 per cent, regardless, will also not be able to take on this debt also.
In IT Tallaght we are devastated to think we will be forced into a devastating long term debt so our motto against the income contingent loans is ‘Till Debt do us part'”
Jason Kavanagh, President of Tallaght Institute of Technology Students’ Union
Fighting Debt
“Students do not deserve to be in €20,000 debt leaving college, they deserve to have the world at their fingertips and that is why we are marching today!
Barry O’Shea, Commercial & Communications Officer in University College Cork Students’ Union
Our Future is in Jeopardy
“Today CIT students are marching in Dublin for their right to publicly funded education. Without the government’s commitment the very future of our college is in jeopardy.
Sam Dawson, President of Cork Institute of Technology Students’ Union
We Must all Defend Education
“I’m marching alongside students because education is a right that we all must play our part in defending. Students in the past stood up for us, and now we have a duty to do all we can to stop student loans for the future prosperity and wellbeing of our society.
Aisling Cusack, Dublin Regional Officer in USI
Support from All Students
“We’ve got to look at the research, income contingent loans don’t work. Whatever your philosophy, it doesn’t work. USI have presented a strong argument based on research and students have responded not only today but since the publication of the Cassell’s report.
This time last year there was a call for the protest to be a launchpad for continuous lobbying and engagement on this matter. USI, students unions’, student leaders and students themselves have been very effective in keeping this issue to the fore of the higher education funding debate!
If we want to continue being a knowledge economy we need to support the pillars of it, higher education being the strongest. Increased funding for the sector is required, but it would be fiscally irresponsible of the state to view a loan system as the answer.
Shane Collins, President of Trinity’s Graduate Students’ Union (GSU)
Understanding the Effects Beyond Students
“Today is a big day for the students of the DIT. With over 42% of our students on a grant the effects of a proposed student loan scheme would be catastrophic for nearly half our student body. That is why DITSU and it’s members will be marching onto Leinster House along with the USI and our fellow students from across the country today to say NO to any proposed student loan schemes!
Boni Odoemene, President of Dublin Institute of Technology Students’ Union (DITSU)
An Uncertain Future
““TCDSU is marching because access to education is fundamental to everything the students’ union exists to do.. 14 months on from the Cassells report and no decision has been made”.
Kevin Keane, President of TCDSU
Education is a Public Good
“Education is a public good and should be treated as such. Properly funded third-level education is the foundation of job creation, social equality, and a thriving economy. Meaningful investment in higher education is necessary if we are to meet a myriad of state objectives, such as having a highly skilled workforce which will subsequently attract foreign direct investment, or to be a country which in world-renowned for research and innovation.
We hope to see income contingent loans taken completely off the tables in Budget 2018, and for further investment into the sector along with a greater investment into grant supports for students. As a longer term goal, USI hopes to see government commit to reducing the €3,000 student contribution fee, which will soon be the highest 3rd level fee in the EU.
This march will give students a chance to demonstrate their opposition to student loan schemes and to show their support for publicly funded higher education and increased student support.
A decision on higher education funding will effect every student in the country, but will also effect the next generation of students. The onus is on us not just to fight for our future, but for theirs.
Michael Kerrigan, President of USI
Pushing the Government to Back Their Promises
“IMPACT is marching today as part of the coalition for publicly funded education, because while the services and supports provided by our members have been deeply affected by underfunding, we don’t believe future generations of students should be saddled with debt to resolve it.
In the short term, we need to address the funding crisis by investing at least €100m in higher education in the forthcoming budget. Even the Fine Gael manifesto identified this sum as necessary just for the sector to stand still, but fell well short in their first budget.
In the medium to long term, we need to make a commitment to investing significant public funds in line with the Cassells report to ensure Ireland has a higher education system to be proud of- One which is fully accessible and reaches the highest international bar in quality standards.
Joe O’Connor, Chair of the Coalition for Publicly Funded Education
Realities Must be Accepted by Both Sides
““Basically we feel that second-level students are the ones that are going to be most affected. We don’t want a future of debt for thousands of young people.”
Ben Smith, President of Irish Secondary School Students’ Union
Thirst in Higher Education
“We are marching in solidarity with all others who are marching today highlighting the funding crisis in higher education… Higher education should be funded through a progressive income tax.”
Frank Jones, Deputy General Secretary of Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT)
