Operation Get Rid of Those Damn Fees.

rockmongrel

So who's going for a walk on O'Connell Street this coming Wednesday :P

yoyo

I'll prob go for the craic

Nick

Assmaster_Kronk

Is there actually no college next wednesday? Or do i just have a great excuse not to go:D

Turnip2000

Tryna get a crew goin for a bita banter!

Soby

yup going for the craic

projectmayhem

So you're all going so as to have a bit of fun, rather then to protest your government potentially destroying the chances of thousands of young people having the opportunity of going to college, finishing courses, etc.?

BaRcOe

For 1st years lets see it was 900 this year and from next year onwards it will be 1,500 so if your doing a higher degree its gonna be x3 which is 4,500 over the years to come, if your doing ord degree and are hoping on getting a higher after it will prob be around 6,000.

Ouch. If the Americans saw the march they would think we're mad cause they're paying thousands anyway for a year.
They would be like, " Oooh my gawdd, they're complaining because its only €1,500 euro($2,011) a year?, most four-year colleges cost at least $10,000 per year, and many more are in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.

The irish are gone mad again,

anywayyy, i'll see you there Rave/Session on!!!!!!

rockmongrel

Regardless, we shouldn't be punished for the incompetence of a government many of us had no voting power to elect.

spiderman1885

Should we bring cans? or is there a bar?

Assmaster_Kronk

O'Connell street has a habit of getting itself trashed, why watch it on the news when you can get hands on;)

The-Artstar

Myself and some mates are planning on going to this.

We're thinking of getting caumoflage facepaint and army gear or something.

FreeOSCAR

Count me in. Ill also be protesting about the over 70s medical cards. Absoloute disgrace.

Dublinstiofán

I'll be there. €900 to €1500 is a joke i'd rather it be in my pocked.

Everybody from DIT should be there with most campus' in the CC but that will never happen.

Unless traffic is stopped it won't make a blind bit of difference so try and make the effort if you can make it.

ditpaintball

We did it in 2003 also and it worked back then. Time to pull together again this year!

claret

I'm so there!!!

sunnyjim

Some of us have labs....

grimm2005

ill be there. and i dont even have any labs that day. perfect!

scheister

i'll be there if i can get my lecture that day not to give to many notes so i can actually catch up. one thing to take into consideration that has being said on the DIT and TCD threads about this. Some people should pay fees people who can afford to pay 6 a year for 2nd level no problem can pay it again for 3rd. the fees wud be covered for everyone else. but will it be the way the tlt grants are done that the college are paid straight or the way the reg fee is done where you get the money back once the grant is sorted cause people with surname from say m down in most counties are waiting till november and in some cases after xmas to get the money back and some will not be able to afford the money even with the promise of getting it back

joeybloggs

Large crowd, with shouting and slogans.Sounds like great craic.I'll defo be there, like moth to a flame......

Its just a joke that we college students have to pay an extra euro for our Hardys Chiraz.And don't get me started on about the Transport minister laughing at the my proposed extension of the green line to Carnew.

LadyJ

"Fcuk your filthy fees" will be my chant.

experiMental

My argument:

Bertie studied in DIT.
Co-writer of Father Ted studied in DIT.

given the current fees, DIT has an ability to upgrade your rags to riches, so I'm definitely going to be protesting.

Soby

So whos making signs??..any good slogans..only one of the top of my head is like no fees or we'll break your knees:L(sh!te i know)

LadyJ

My chant will be on my sign.

BaRcOe

"Fees, the bees knees??"
"Dont think so!!"

Hows that?;)

Or

"Take it Feesy"

Or the classic, "Down with that sort of thing"

Creamy Goodness

"anybody for tea?"

BaRcOe

go on

experiMental

PM me for making signs and posters. I did posters for DIT Green Week, so I know what the story is

Ass

"OH MY GOD I LOVE MAKING SIGNS!" or "Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down".

I'll be there for an hour or two, until I have to go to work.

Shanegggg

Hmmmmmm......THREE hours of maths in a row or go to this

I think I know where i'll be!

delta214

Damn, i wish i had three hours of maths
Guess i'll just have to go to this.

The Volt

I'll be there with bells on. Defeat The fees '08

The Volt

MORE FEES = LESS DEGREES

.DarDarBinks

Voltwad wrote: »

MORE FEES = LESS DEGREES

Too true

NaiveMelodies

We are in the very fortunate position where we dont have to pay for any schooling up until the age of 18.
We then are asked to be a measly sum, a registration fee, which ANY 3rd level Student can pay with a 5 minute visit to the local bank and leaving with a loan.
At the end of the day, the money we will make from our degrees come the end of our college course and over the course of our lives will be far greater than any colleges fees brought in by the state.
The revenue raised by the government from college fees would, ultimately, benefit us in the future with more governement spending geared towards infrastructural development etc.


This Demonstration will, i'm sorry to burst your enthusiasm, be ignored by the brains in government buildings, and rightly so.
A bunch of students trying to be high and mighty, or skip a few lectures, isnt something that Ministers will fear.

Why would you waste your time trying to make an impression on a decision that has been made and won't be changed, whether or not it means College fees or no College fees.
You might aswell be protesting with those shell-to-sea clowns.

davedrave

the means test for over 70s health cards was included in the same budget, and is being re-examined already. Did you get a loan out to pay your fees?

NaiveMelodies

yes i did actually, plus another few grand for this year, took me 5.. maybe 6 minutes.

The issue of college fees has been around well before this budget.
I'm not saying i want them in, obviously not, but if they come in, its definitely the better decision for my future in the long run.

From reading this thread, people cheerily suggesting different chants and how big a sesh its going to be, proves to me that everyone does rightly know that this is simply going to be a bit of a laugh. Not one good point has been on this thread about what the fees are going to mean for students, not one.

davedrave

only1stevo wrote: »

I'm not saying i want them in, obviously not, but if they come in, its definitely the better decision for my future in the long run.

And for your bank

rockmongrel

We wouldn't be in this mess if our future hadn't been so bolloxed up by the idiocy of our government. Now we, students, who many of us had no say in the election of this government have to pay the penalty along with elderly people. What does it say about our government when the moment trouble comes about, they immediately go for students and the elderly, groups which most people, as you said yourself, couldn't give a damn about. There, you wanted a point.
Second, yes, most students aren't taking the protests seriously and this is tragic.
Finally, I personally am going to have real difficulty in getting the money together for next year. You say take out a loan, but I shockingly don't have a lot of confidence in the banking system right now. You honestly come off as so arrogant, oh I just strolled in and grabbed my cash.

Kensington

only1stevo wrote: »

This Demonstration will, i'm sorry to burst your enthusiasm, be ignored by the brains in government buildings, and rightly so.
A bunch of students trying to be high and mighty, or skip a few lectures, isnt something that Ministers will fear.

Perhaps - hope one of them has the brains to realise though that the vast majority of these "high and mighty" students are ultimately the ones who'll vote them in (or out) of the government in the future...

BC

rockmongrel wrote: »

Now we, students, who many of us had no say in the election of this government have to pay the penalty along with elderly people.

With the exception of some first years, the majority of students would have been eligible to vote in the election last year. Certainly 2nd, 3rd & 4th years would have been over 18.

While i think that 900 to 1500 is a big hike in captiation, its better than full fees!

NaiveMelodies

rockmongrel wrote: »

We wouldn't be in this mess if our future hadn't been so bolloxed up by the idiocy of our government. Now we, students, who many of us had no say in the election of this government have to pay the penalty along with elderly people. What does it say about our government when the moment trouble comes about, they immediately go for students and the elderly, groups which most people, as you said yourself, couldn't give a damn about. There, you wanted a point.

What are you on about? how has our future been bolloxed? Its on a plate for us, get your degree and there will be jobs waitin, don't get your degree and there will be lesser paid jobs waitin.
Em... the majority of 3rd level students did indeed have a say in the election, so your making no sense there.
What does it say about our government? it says they know what they are doing, the country would go completely belly up if the governement "goes for" the working population,which would ultimately see the slowing down productivity as well as peoples will to work, increasing pressure on the social services and increasing the dependent population of the country. We Students have a great time of it, and although now we may only be able to go out on the session once or twice a week, it wont be the end of the world.
This discussion has nothing to do with the 70s age card, so im not going to talk about it.
Thats not a good point just because you say so.
In fact, i did read a few very good points on the ucd flyer my friend had in relation to the protest, but your point is a load of sh ite to be fair.

rockmongrel wrote: »

Second, yes, most students aren't taking the protests seriously and this is tragic.

I don't really think its tragic, a few cans for all and a bit of a laugh stopping the traffic on o'connell street.

rockmongrel wrote: »

Finally, I personally am going to have real difficulty in getting the money together for next year. You say take out a loan, but I shockingly don't have a lot of confidence in the banking system right now. You honestly come off as so arrogant, oh I just strolled in and grabbed my cash.

If you really want your degree, and can prove to the bank manager that you will get your degree with attendance records,exam results and a reference, you will 100% get your loan.
Students arent in anyway seriously effected by the financial crisis or the banking syste, so stop talking out of your arse and grow a pair.
i certainly am not arrogant, whats arrogant is the majority of students expecting everyone to be adamantly against fees as well as the Student Unions of various colleges.
Whats arrogant is you calling your point a point.

davedrave

only1stevo wrote: »

This discussion has nothing to do with the 70s age card, so im not going to talk about it.
Thats not a good point just because you say so.

you said we cant change things, the medical card thing is being changed already. end of story. Its a good point because it weakens your bank-happy argument

projectmayhem

.DarDarBinks wrote: »

Too true

Get rid of that sig mate...

randomcountdown

I didn't think a thread about stopping fees could POSSIBLY have any sort of disagreement.

But yet, boards.ie has **** itself all over my screen yet again. Good job boards.ie.

That said he's right though, not a single person is going to give a **** about this protest, you want a reaction go break something and cause some disturbance.

Can we talk about how we're in a RECESSION too? That's always a great one. RECESSION LADS. RECESSION JESUS.

experiMental

I protested. I had a fabulous time. It wasn't about politics. It was all about screaming your head off and blockading Dublin City Centre just to entertain the Dail.

elementalwater

Em.

Student Loans : Require a quareentor from a family member, my family can't afford for me to do this.

Registration Fee : Has gone up to €1500...tragic...all my summer earnings will go on this...rather silly to take out loans to pay this fee..

Free Fee's : One year in DIT can cost €6000. Plus your registration fee brings it to a grand total of €7500. This doesn't take into account the fact that a majority of students have to pay for accomadation, food, entertainments, social expenses, further educational expenses such as field trips, uniforms, equipment etc.

Don't forget aswell that nearly every student works. We now have to pay a 1% levy on our wages.

Don't forget aswell that the budget has not increased the amount of money available in the grant system. With this increase in the reg fee, the number of grants available for the next academic year will decrease.

The number of people entering thrid level education next year is already down due to this.

One more point:
Fee's = less students coming to DIT = Staff lay-offs = bigger classes = smaller campus requirement.

I have more to say but i'm all protested out...was so much fun. We filled O'Connell Street plus some more!!!!!

rockmongrel

Good job chaps and lassies :P

Creamy Goodness

I went for the signs. Some very homourous ones I took photos but my battery pack died before the end and I didn't have my spare one

Gazza22

randomcountdown wrote: »

That said he's right though, not a single person is going to give a **** about this protest, you want a reaction go break something and cause some disturbance.

Great reaction from the public today all over the city centre, so you were wrong...

Climate Expert

If you students had any clues you'd be begging for fees.

First of all not having fees will mean you will be paying for students when you graduate. Fees will not effect you if they come as they will take at least 3 years to be implemented.
Secondly fees are a great idea to counter your devalued degree. Degrees in Ireland are worth very little as every cowboy goes to college as they've noting better to be doing. Fees will only mean those interested go to college.
They will also mean better colleges.
And with a loan system like the UK and Aus it will be fair to every section of society.

The Volt

I have no problem paying for others when I graduate. Education should be protected in thid country. End of..