Three arrested in UCD as students protest about fees

Sully

EDUCATION CUTBACKS: "NO CUTBACKS, no fees, no Fianna Fáil TDs" was the rallying cry of students who gathered in University College Dublin (UCD) last night to protest against the possible reintroduction of third-level fees.

About 100 students took part in the protest, many bearing banners, ahead of the arrival of Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan, who was chairing a function at the Clinton Institute on the Belfield campus.

A strong Garda and campus security presence were on hand to monitor the protest and three people were arrested for breaches of the peace. The arrests came following two minor scuffles when protesters attempted to break through a metal fence surrounding the entrance to the building.

The students began to sit on the ground in an attempt to block the entrance to the venue shortly before 6pm and chants of "this Government has disgraced themselves" filled the air. Mr Lenihan entered the building through a side door.

"We're here to say that if the Minister is going to create a barrier to students coming to university, we're going to create a barrier for him coming on to campus," UCD students' union president Aodhan O'Dea said.

"This is our campus and if fees come in next year it will create a barrier to thousands of students."

Mr O'Dea was also critical of the increase in college registration fees, from €900 to €1,500, introduced in last week's Budget.

"Of the extra €600 implemented on registration fees, none of that is actually going to students, so students are angry about this and it is going to affect everyone." Thousands of students from across the country will attend a protest against fees in Dublin tomorrow, he added.

Source: Irish Times

Gotta love the picture in the paper. Being dragged away by the Guards, but there all hanging onto each other. Wasnt that peaceful of a protest!

Raiser

Thanks and respect.

- Apathy is in danger of becoming the Irish National trait.

Dragan

How many students are there in UCD, and 100 of them show up?

Obviously they don't care about the issue that much?

javaboy

Yesterday I heard about Dublin Bus cutting off services after 8.30 to the UCD campus because of vandalism and anti-social behaviour including an assault on a bus conductor/driver. And now they're getting arrested in violent protests?

Shut that hotbed of violence down I say!

skywalker

Both the "registration fee" being a back door to fees, and the possible reintroduction of third level fees are a disgrace & should be opposed by anyone who wants to see this country with any sort of a strong economy. It beggars belief that the current govt believe they can shop us abroad as a knowledge economy while pulling stunts like this.

javaboy

skywalker wrote: »

It beggars belief that the current govt believe they can shop us abroad as a knowledge economy while pulling stunts like this.

They have a few more brilliant policies too such as the providing 3 years of postgraduate funding for PhDs that typically takes 4 years.

faceman

Dragan wrote: »

How many students are there in UCD, and 100 of them show up?

Obviously they don't care about the issue that much?

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

stovelid

Tut tut.

The oppressive college authorities are not on the ball.

If they had just sprung a wildcat, topless-half-price-tequila beach party in the UCD bar at the same time as the protest.....

Mark200

There's a planned protest in town tomorrow aswell

Degsy

Mark200 wrote: »

There's a planned protest in town tomorrow aswell

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

Mark200

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

I think it'd be ironic if loads do turn up....considering most will have to skip classes to attend

thelordofcheese

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

Ahh after hours, it runs like fuckin' clockwork.

RandolphEsq

Dental plan

Cuddlesworth

javaboy wrote: »

Yesterday I heard about Dublin Bus cutting off services after 8.30 to the UCD campus because of vandalism and anti-social behaviour including an assault on a bus conductor/driver. And now they're getting arrested in violent protests?

Shut that hotbed of violence down I say!

I have never ever seen anything of the sort on any bus that goes near UCD that was not related to passengers heading to other places.

Phototoxin

Lisa needs braces...

*drops pencil down Brighteyes arse*

ahem...

"Of the extra €600 implemented on registration fees, none of that is actually going to students, so students are angry about this and it is going to affect everyone." Thousands of students from across the country will attend a protest against fees in Dublin tomorrow, he added.

where's it going ? Biffos car and driver when the working pleb is told to use a bicycle ?

Whispered

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

ignorance is bliss.

If it's not daddys money it'll be the damn scroungers, getting everything paid for, sure nobody in this country pays for anything off their own backs. :rolleyes:

veritable

This whole thing of "daddy's money" is ****e. You are exaggerating this beyond belief. The vast majority of students in UCD are not like this and work hard to get through college.

Degsy

veritable wrote: »

This whole thing of "daddy's money" is ****e. You are exaggerating this beyond belief. The vast majority of students in UCD are not like this and work hard to get through college.

Which is why out of 10,000 students 100 show up to protest about something that'll affect them.
The 60's are long gone!

P_1

Unfortunatley, I was in work yesterday evening, if I was not I would have been there yesterday. (Yes some of us students do work:eek:)

The protest in town should be interesting to say the least.

Ziggurat

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=5DmYLrxR0Y8

4zn76tysfajdxp

You protest you get accused of being a hippy and a crusty. You don't protest and you get accused of apathy.

So what's the alternative? Really, what is there to do? I don't just mean in this case, when shit is really hitting the fan and things need to change, wtf do we do? I'm honestly at a loss here...

thefinalstage

Degsy wrote: »

Lets see how many of them bother thier holes to show up.
You only have to look at the way most students are dressed these days to see that its not causing them a major problem.
Daddy's money FTW!

I would have to skip class in order to show up. This fiasco is leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. When my education is done I am emigrating regardless of the economic climate here. ****ty government are trying to remove every social freedom...

griffdaddy

Degsy wrote: »

Which is why out of 10,000 students 100 show up to protest about something that'll affect them.
The 60's are long gone!

or it could be because everyone has mid-terms due in this or next week.

veritable

griffdaddy wrote: »

or it could be because everyone has mid-terms due in this or next week.

here here

Wompa1

Remington Limited Sunspot wrote: »

You protest you get accused of being a hippy and a crusty. You don't protest and you get accused of apathy.

So what's the alternative? Really, what is there to do? I don't just mean in this case, when shit is really hitting the fan and things need to change, wtf do we do? I'm honestly at a loss here...

"I was asked what is it with you?...is it Apathy or ignorance. I replied I don't know...I don't care"

More on point screw them. I do think most will go unaffected for the short term at least until their daddys are propping up the counter at the dole office...am I right!!?

Stercus Accidit

Theres a protest tomorrow.

I never even heard of yesterdays one.

I pay for college myself and with grants, no "daddy money" here, a phrase which stings of bitterness tbh.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Wompa1 wrote: »

"I was asked what is it with you?...is it Apathy or ignorance. I replied I don't know...I don't care"

More on point screw them. I do think most will go unaffected for the short term at least until their daddys are propping up the counter at the dole office...am I right!!?

Well you know what, let's just assume for a minute that not everybody's "Daddy" isn't a multi-millionaire who reaches into his gilded pockets for college fees without a moment's hesitation. Now what? How can those kids show their displeasure for potential college fees? Protests don't work so what's the alternative?

faceman

faceman wrote: »

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

Every night is student night in CFJ's

DublinWriter

Raiser wrote: »

Apathy is in danger of becoming the Irish National trait.

Fixed it for you.

Stercus Accidit

DublinWriter wrote: »

Fixed it for you.

Why bother who cares.:pac:

emeraldstar

faceman wrote: »

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

Ah dearest Coppers... every night is student night

EDIT: Feck, beaten to it.

robtri

it makes me laugh sometimes, students complaining of fees?... then in other threads the students are complaining they can't get carparking spaces for their cars... if you can afford a car, insurance, tax, maint, petrol that it takes to run a car you can afford the fees...
your fees don't even come close to how much it costs to educate you, grow the hell up, you are still getting a good deal here,
and then after you have the vast majority of your fees paid, how many feck off to other countries to work????

thelordofcheese

robtri wrote: »

And then after you have the vast majority of your fees paid, how many feck off to other countries to work????

Those that have to, i'd imagine. Why'd you ask?

Stercus Accidit

robtri wrote: »

it makes me laugh sometimes, students complaining of fees?... then in other threads the students are complaining they can't get carparking spaces for their cars... if you can afford a car, insurance, tax, maint, petrol that it takes to run a car you can afford the fees...
your fees don't even come close to how much it costs to educate you, grow the hell up, you are still getting a good deal here,
and then after you have the vast majority of your fees paid, how many feck off to other countries to work????

Because EVERY student is the same.

Some have cars, some have no money.


I know!


Lets introduce a system where ONLY those students with cars, or wealthy parents can go to college, then our idiotic stereotype will be true!

Lets exclude the working classes, know your place! In modern Ireland, you are born as a have or have not, accept your lot and drink til you puke at the weekends.


I know plenty of poor students, I benefited from a program for low income families and student that went to crap schools in poorer areas.
I'm in a top course in this country, and to pay the rent, with grants and free fees, I took all last year out to work full time at barely over min wage in a job I will earn twice as much in when I have my piece of paper from the college this year.

Introducing fees hits the worst off first, pay a bit now, and those students will pay for themselves in taxes many times over in their lifetime.

RedXIV

robtri wrote: »

it makes me laugh sometimes, students complaining of fees?... then in other threads the students are complaining they can't get carparking spaces for their cars... if you can afford a car, insurance, tax, maint, petrol that it takes to run a car you can afford the fees...
your fees don't even come close to how much it costs to educate you, grow the hell up, you are still getting a good deal here,
and then after you have the vast majority of your fees paid, how many feck off to other countries to work????

I've no car, no luxuarious lifestyle, no grant, no help financially, i pay for college off my own back and i've had some very close calls in college. my 21st birthday present was to be bailed out of debt. I've got a job which requires me to miss a day a week of college, it's not ideal but its that or drop out. I had a hell of a time raising the 900 euro this year for fees, thank god it's my last year, 1500 is just ridiculous.

Ass

The last protest against student fees going up was a sucsess. Hopefully this one will be too. I'll be damned if I'm going to have to pay an extra half a grand to go to college next year. I wouldn't mind if we saw some of that money come back to us in some way, but this wont.

Fuck Fiana Fáil and their supporters. I'll remember that chant for tomorrow. "NO CUTBACKS, no fees, no Fianna Fáil TDs"

IronMan

UCD is a hotbed of leftie, hippie, Abercrombie wearing, latté drinking, bicycling, car owning, vegetarian, meat eaters.

The sucmbags.

thelordofcheese

IronMan wrote: »

UCD is a hotbed of leftie, hippie, Abercrombie wearing, latté drinking, bicycling, car owning, vegetarian, meat eaters.

I envy them

Fixed that for you.

MistressPandora

IronMan wrote: »

UCD is a hotbed of leftie, hippie, Abercrombie wearing, latté drinking, bicycling, car owning, vegetarian, meat eaters.

The sucmbags.

Sure they all are. The ones who have to sleep in their cars aren't doing it because of price of accomadation, they're doing it for the laff! :rolleyes:

Zzippy

IronMan wrote: »

UCD is a hotbed of leftie, hippie, Abercrombie wearing, latté drinking, bicycling, car owning, vegetarian, meat eaters.

Second rate university anyway. Close it down.

Ass Face

Ass Face wrote: »

I wouldn't mind if we saw some of that money come back to us in some way.....

Like when you get a better job than you would have without the qualification?

:rolleyes:

Also, lol @ people living out of their cars.

Degsy

MistressPandora wrote: »

Sure they all are. The ones who have to sleep in their cars aren't doing it because of price of accomadation, they're doing it for the laff! :rolleyes:

So they cant afford accomadation but they CAN afford cars??

Eoin

Raiser wrote: »

Apathy is in danger of becoming the Irish National trait.

Nah, nobody could be bothered making it our national trait.

panda100

Dragan wrote: »

How many students are there in UCD, and 100 of them show up?

There was a lot more than 100 there.
Three of my mates from medicine turned up but left after they saw a gardai filming them. There was a very intimidatory, unncessary gardai presence there last night.
They were really heavy handed,tackled a few people to the ground,punched a friend of mine in the face.I hope they dont treat the OAPs' like that tommorow!
The 'arrests' were a bit of a joke. The students arrested did nothing wrong and were released after an hour.

RandolphEsq

Dental plan

Fajitas!

Protest tomorrow should be interesting.

Ass

Deleted User wrote: »

Like when you get a better job than you would have without the qualification?

Is the money I get from my future employer the money I'm paying extra for college next year? Don't think so.

Also, my college faculty give me my degree, not the government, so your argument is null and void. They are not giving anything back to the students out of the 500 extra we're paying.

Fajitas!

Actually... Why were the three students arrested?

Was it just for blocking the car, or were the acting the arse?

ShagNastii

faceman wrote: »

It was probably student night in Copper Face Jacks last night!

Pretty sad, but I must admit, me and my room mates were nowhere to be seen because we were on campus getting sloshed before hitting CFJs :pac:

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

it's sad to think how many pubs and nightclubs will have to close in dublin if people actuallyh have to pay for their own education.
say no to fees

Terry

Mordeth wrote: »

it's sad to think how many pubs and nightclubs will have to close in dublin if people actuallyh have to pay for their own education.
say no to fees

Let them eat pot noodle.