Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) has today launched a petition calling for a reduction in the student contribution fee, as part of the Union of Students in Ireland’s “Education for All” campaign.
The petition is set to be presented to Provost Patrick Prendergast, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
In a press statement, the union said: “You, the students of 2020 have been through enough. You have endured worsening conditions in the Higher Education Sector as well as grappling with the impact of a global pandemic. You deserve more.”
“Our politicians might be listening, our Minister might recognise the Student Contribution Charge is “too high” and our Taoiseach might recognise the importance of funding Higher Education, but recognition is not enough.”
“We need action from our Government and we at TCDSU need your support. Together with your signatures and your voices, we will continue to work to secure an Education For All. Higher education is not a privilege, it’s your right.”
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) staged a demonstration outside of the Dáil today, calling on politicians to sign a pledge, which included a promise to eliminate the student contribution fee.
In a press statement, USI Vice-President for Campaigns Craig McHugh said: “Today we have stepped up our Education for All campaign and are keen to get the message across to TDs that students, future students and their families, in their constituencies need their support.”
“Students are under enormous pressure and they can’t take much more”, he said. “This was the case before COVID-19, and it has been worsened by the pandemic.”
“Students in Ireland continue to pay the highest fees in the EU, while spending an entire year studying from their bedrooms. We need action from Government, but we also need full support from every other TD in Dáil Eireann”, he concluded.
Earlier this year, USI President Lorna Fitzpatrick criticised the government for giving colleges the freedom to charge students with registration fees of up to €3,000.
Speaking to The University Times, Fitzpatrick said that “it was as if they were trying to push the decision back to the institutions, but really the government needs to show leadership, rather than leaving that up to the institutions”.
