IPPN

Published: 20 January 2009

Source: Irish Independent

By: Ralph Riegel and John Walshe

UP to 30,000 students are planning to protest next month over the proposed re-introduction of tuition fees.

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe yesterday repeated his plan to bring firm proposals to Cabinet in April about college fees.

But the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) responded by saying it was stepping up its campaign against fees with a protest in Waterford tomorrow and a massive march in Dublin on February 4.

The minister told the Irish Independent: "The Government has asked me to put together a report in terms of student commitment into the future in terms of funding for the third level. And I hope to be in a position in the first two weeks of April to bring proposals to Government on that particular issue.

"Obviously, it would be premature of me at this stage to say exactly what we propose to do. But if you look at other jurisdictions you will see that there is a student contribution by and large to the third level," he said.

However, the President of the Union of Students in Ireland Shane Kelly claimed that Irish students and their families were being used as scapegoats for Government underinvestment in higher education.

"Not only would the return of fees be a disaster for students and their families, but it would put at risk the very idea of our knowledge economy by placing a barrier in front of those wishing to further their education," he said.

The USI accused the minister of being misguided and out of touch with the everyday concerns of students and their families.

Mr Kelly said that according to the latest Bank of Ireland survey, the average cost of going to third level in Ireland was just over €38,000 for a four-year degree. If fees were re-introduced the cost would almost inevitably rise to beyond €70,000, making higher education an unaffordable luxury for most average families, he claimed.

The return of tuition fees is also opposed by the main opposition parties but supported by university presidents.

Last week TCD Provost Dr John Hegarty suggested that their return was inevitable. Irish universities needed more funding if they were to maintain their level of performance and excellence.

Dr Hegarty said that already Trinity was facing a decrease in funding from the State of €10m this year to maintain what it was doing last year.

The Presidents of DCU Prof Ferdinand von Prondzynski and UCC Dr Michael Murphy, also called last week for the return of fees to help universities get out of their present crisis.

- John Walshe and Ralph Riegel