Mass Occuaption Under Way At Department of Education.

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday August 17, 2004 15:33 by person outside - ucdsu

They Are In There For Us - Be Out There For Them | Head Down and Show Your Support

After the OECD Leak, and a governement trying to sneak fees in through the backdoor, students take action...
Word has just come through that a large scale occuaption is underway at the Department of Education. Students from various colleges affiliated to USI gathered today around noon in the city and made plans for the occupation. Over forty students are involved. A number of rooms in the building have been occupied, seriously disrupting the work of the department. Around twenty students are outside the buidling itself, but inside the grounds of the department itself.

The protest comes in the of a leak from the forthcoming OECD which is recommending the reintroduction of fees and demanding that due to a 'funding crisis' colleges start to find new sources of funding.

Fergal Scully, President of UCD SU described why the protest is taking place:

'We are protesting against the rise in fees from €670 tp €750, so in 24 months thats an 89 per cent increase, while the grants have only increased by 2% in the same period, that doesn't even cover inflation. Also we are protesting against the ten percent cutback in university budgets and thrid level budgets. And the general lack of quality in education at all levels in this country.'

Two tents have been pitched in the grounds of the building to highligh the problems students also face while seeking housing at this time of year.

The activists are appealing for support and asking everyone possible to get down and support them...

More updates to follow...

Keep an eye out here for reports from those that took part

To contact those on the inside and to send messages of support ring 086 8102645

Photos and so on will follow...

See http://www.ucdsu.net for an insiders account of how the occupation went tomorrow..