Elections protest call due to student fees threat

Students were urged today to vote against government candidates in the local and European elections over the possible reintroduction of third-level fees.

Students were urged today to vote against government candidates in the local and European elections over the possible reintroduction of third-level fees.

The Union of Students in Ireland is running a campaign to encourage all its members to get out and vote in June.

The body warned the Government its campaign of protest would continue until it backed down and removed the fee threat.

Shane Kelly, USI president, said: “We will be working hard over the next seven weeks to ensure that all of our members get out and vote, and we will be telling them to vote against all candidates running for government parties.

“For too long students have been seen as apathetic and an easy target, but 200,000 registered voters is very difficult to ignore, and we will be ensuring that those 200,000 voters make fees their number one issue.”

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe is due to bring proposals on the fees issue to Cabinet in the coming weeks.

However he signalled last week the matter may not be decided upon until after the June elections.

Mr Kelly said any return of fees in the current economic climate would serve to make the situation worse.

“We need to ensure Ireland’s future prosperity by making education the very centre of our economic recovery plan, this means widening participation rates not reducing them,” he said.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

Pile or group of multi colored and different sizes of colourful foil wrapped chocolate easter eggs in pink, blue, and gold. Larg Young sisters donate hundreds of Easter eggs to children's hospital
Ireland has third highest level of deaths on rural roads in EU  Ireland has third highest level of deaths on rural roads in EU 
Mother and daughters killed in Mayo crash named locally, as husband returns to Ireland 'Their smiles lit up the room': Tributes paid to mother and daughters killed in Mayo crash
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited