so.. whens this strike

kueef

when's the strike on..
the su better hurry up cause we only have like 5 days...
or did i go to all that effort to vote for nothing,,,,,,,,

Hande hoche!

Sorry bit confused here what strike?

thebigcheese22

Hande hoche! wrote: »

Sorry bit confused here what strike?

He means the one-day shutdown of campus, passed in the recent referendum, against the reintroduction of college fees.

I'm on the working group for it and its on Monday the 30th, to coincide with the national teacher strike. I know its not ideal as lectures aren't on, but many people will be studying on campus so twil be good to have a unified protest, as I think the lecturers are gonna strike as well.

deisedude

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

He means the one-day shutdown of campus, passed in the recent referendum, against the reintroduction of college fees.

I'm on the working group for it and its on Monday the 30th, to coincide with the national teacher strike. I know its not ideal as lectures aren't on, but many people will be studying on campus so twil be good to have a unified protest, as I think the lecturers are gonna strike as well.

Thats thick, so we are going on strike on a day there is nothing to strike from. While the lecturers are striking when they have no classes to teach. Only in Ireland!:rolleyes:

yerayeah

Please tell me the library will be open?!

KnifeWRENCH

I'm kinda glad it's not on a day with lectures. I don't want to have to miss potentially important lectures because of it. Then again, I'm not totally against fees being brought in tbh.

bleg

0

that's how much ye're going to achieve

thebigcheese22

bleg wrote: »

0

that's how much ye're going to achieve

Real helpful input mate.

How about you show up the meetings and provide helpful suggestions rather than bitching about it?

Peyton Manning

deisedude wrote: »

Thats thick, so we are going on strike on a day there is nothing to strike from. While the lecturers are striking when they have no classes to teach. Only in Ireland!:rolleyes:

So you think you have the right to disrupt a day of lectures for those who dont want to strike just to satisfy your own agenda?

thebigcheese22

Lads I dont think you get the idea behind this. The lecturer's unions are prob gonna vote to strike as well, so the campus will be closed anyway.
Us students are gonna walk out to show solidarity with the lecturers and teachers against these ridiculous education cuts, as well as against the reintroduction of fees.
This decisions has been mandated by 83% of UCC students in a referendum - the vast vast majority

bleg

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Real helpful input mate.

How about you show up the meetings and provide helpful suggestions rather than bitching about it?

why would i do that? i'm pro college fees.

deRanged

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

This decisions has been mandated by 83% of UCC students in a referendum - the vast vast majority

no it hasn't. it was mandated by 83% of those that voted. big difference.

I don't think the campus will be closed - at least I hope it won't. I fully intend to go in to do a days work.

thebigcheese22

deRanged wrote: »

no it hasn't. it was mandated by 83% of those that voted. big difference.

LOL! If you didn't bother voting then you or anyone else can't complain.

deRanged

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

LOL! If you didn't bother voting then you or anyone else can't complain.

not a student ....

thebigcheese22

deRanged wrote: »

not a student ....

Then why are you on the UCC forum discussing student matters? I suppose you're in favour of fees as well??

deisedude

Archimedes wrote: »

So you think you have the right to disrupt a day of lectures for those who dont want to strike just to satisfy your own agenda?

My own agenda, its all students agenda. I'm sickened that people are so apathetic as to just lie doen and leave the government walk all over us. The simple fact is we have to make a sacrifice, a worthwhile sacrifice. If that means missing a days lectures for the greater good then so be it. All i'm saying is we are not going to achieve anything by striking on a day the vast majority of the student body wont even be in college

thebigcheese22

bleg wrote: »

why would i do that? i'm pro college fees.

That figures :rolleyes:


Agree 100% with deisedudes post above

KnifeWRENCH

deRanged wrote: »

no it hasn't. it was mandated by 83% of those that voted. big difference.

Was it really that much? 83 sounds very high...
Anyway I'm one of the 17% that voted NO to that referendum, I just don't see how a one day disruption will have any effect whatsoever.
I'm neutral on the fees issue, for purely selfish reasons - if they're brought back I almost certainly won't have to pay them anyway because it would be means tested. So as long as I'm not paying fees, I really don't give a damn about anyone else paying fees.
With all that said, if fees aren't brought back, all well and good.

kueef

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

He means the one-day shutdown of campus, passed in the recent referendum, against the reintroduction of college fees.

I'm on the working group for it and its on Monday the 30th, to coincide with the national teacher strike. I know its not ideal as lectures aren't on, but many people will be studying on campus so twil be good to have a unified protest, as I think the lecturers are gonna strike as well.

wow how stupid is that..
a complete waste of time me voting for it...:mad:

stupid.......

thebigcheese22

square_igloo wrote: »

Was it really that much? 83 sounds very high...

Sorry twas just a bit lower at 80% but you have to admit that figure is fairly convincing -

Total Poll: 3,156

Spoilt 78

Valid Poll: 3,078

Yes: 2,527

No: 551

Result: PASSED

I'm neutral on the fees issue, for purely selfish reasons - if they're brought back I almost certainly won't have to pay them anyway because it would be means tested. So as long as I'm not paying fees, I really don't give a damn about anyone else paying fees.

At least you admit your attitude is selfish! I'm in the same boat, I won't have to pay fees either because it will be fees tested but I am still vehemently against them, and will fight against them for future generations. (I am actually the youngest in my family so no younger siblings)

Never mind the fact that one of the reasons fees were shelved (by the Labour Party might I add) was because farmers and self-employed people were altering their accounts in order for their children not to pay fees. Means-testing has been proven shoddy so noone should be in favour of it.

Also never mind the fact that what a persons parents make should have nothing to do with their third level education, as they are adults in the eyes of the law. Third level education should be for all, rich or poor.

Basically I'm against it because bringing back fees will damage our economy, and we will never be able to build that knowledge based economy which is one of Fianna Failure's stated aims. If a limit of 100000 for parents earnings is put in, this will eventually be lowered, just like the registration fee has been hiked through the back door. If fees are brought in beware, it will end up as before, with only a minority going to college, unlike the majority now.

KnifeWRENCH

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

At least you admit your attitude is selfish! I'm in the same boat, I won't have to pay fees either because it will be fees tested but I am still vehemently against them, and will fight against them for future generations. (I am actually the youngest in my family so no younger siblings)

I'm the youngest aswell!

Well I wish ye luck but since it won't affect me either way it's not something I'd bother getting invlved in tbh.
(I know I'm selfish, but I don't think selfish is necessarily a bad thing to be! :pac:)

deRanged

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Then why are you on the UCC forum discussing student matters?

I don't even know where to begin with a statement like that.

I suppose you're in favour of fees as well??

I'm strongly in favour of fees. As someone who has paid fees in the past, and who has also had the benefit of not paying fees, and someone who's lectured and corrected assignments and dealt with students over the last few years.
I don't say it lightly.

deisedude

deRanged wrote: »

I don't even know where to begin with a statement like that.



I'm strongly in favour of fees. As someone who has paid fees in the past, and who has also had the benefit of not paying fees, and someone who's lectured and corrected assignments and dealt with students over the last few years.
I don't say it lightly.

Get off your high horse, its elitism of the highest order. The reintroduction of fees will usher in a massive drop off in people going on to third level as people simply wont be able to afford it. How can you be in favour of that?

deRanged

deisedude wrote: »

Get off your high horse,

what high horse?

its elitism of the highest order.

what is - my statement or the return of fees?

The reintroduction of fees will usher in a massive drop off in people going on to third level as people simply wont be able to afford it.

very possibly.

How can you be in favour of that?

you know UCC is operating at a massive deficit? you know staff are having their pay cut? you know they close the buildings during the summer to save money? you know they cut back on all sorts of services to save money? you know much of the equipment is old and badly needs replacement, but there's no money? you know contracts are not being renewed and as a result people are no longer employed?

this in unsustainable. something has to give.

have you ever given a lecture?
have you ever prepared work, prepared notes and slides and turned up to discover that many students couldn't be bothered to turn up?
have you ever corrected coursework, and had badly written gibberish handed up?
have you ever had a student call to tell you that he simply didn't bother to turn up to an exam and could he please have a re-sit?
have you ever corrected coursework and had many identical pages turned in?
have you ever had wikipedia articles turned in as coursework?

again, I don't say it lightly. I do think that the return of fees could be a very positive thing.

thebigcheese22

deRanged wrote: »

you know UCC is operating at a massive deficit? you know staff are having their pay cut? you know they close the buildings during the summer to save money? you know they cut back on all sorts of services to save money? you know much of the equipment is old and badly needs replacement, but there's no money? you know contracts are not being renewed and as a result people are no longer employed?

If thats the case, funding to colleges should be increased obviously. This won't happen if fees are renitroduced, and if you believe it will then the Gov has totally fooled you. If third level(or education generally) doesn't receive enough funding then we need to borrow or raise taxes. Simple as.

have you ever given a lecture?

I think thats the aforementioned high horse you sir are sitting on.

have you ever prepared work, prepared notes and slides and turned up to discover that many students couldn't be bothered to turn up?
have you ever corrected coursework, and had badly written gibberish handed up?
have you ever had a student call to tell you that he simply didn't bother to turn up to an exam and could he please have a re-sit?
have you ever corrected coursework and had many identical pages turned in?
have you ever had wikipedia articles turned in as coursework?

I resent this blatant generalization. Of course there'l be a minority of students who can't hack it but thats not the case for the vast majority. You don't need to 'correct papers' to know that. I resent the insinuation that many students are total idiots, which you seem to imply.

Also, can I ask what subject you lecture? You seem to think that you being a lecturer/tutor seems to give you the upper hand in this argument. It doesn't.

again, I don't say it lightly

Doesn't seem like the case to me tbh.

up them Schteps

Diesedude, I dont think we will see a (Big) drop in the number of students going to college if fees are re-introduced. It WILL mean however that from possibly 17years old and up, people will be carrying significant loans to get them through college. If you look at the system they have in America every college has fees.

I think this is worth fighting, not just to keep people in uni, but to avoid teenagers with massive debt!

But also, in my department (I'm a student), our equipment needs serious updating but the department had their funding cut from like €150,000 2years ago, to €50,000 this year. That is a huge drop considering the department is always producing top class graduates year in, year out, due to the level of the lectures we, as students recieve. I know if funding is cut even more, postgrads who monitor labs will be laid-off (Potentially) or even lecturers.

Everything has to be considered, not just the fucc fees approach

Also, BigCheese, you can argue to the cows come home about the government fooling people, but I don't think, personally, that the student union has explained the whole situation properly. Everybody has their own opinions of what life will be like with or without fees, but if they explained what the government would have to if fees were not introduced, people would see reason. Also, I dont think their will be anymore tax hikes, as people aren't spending as much anymore and revenue tax is also after a huge drop. Were really caught between a rock and two stones here....

deRanged

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

I think thats the aforementioned high horse you sir are sitting on.

ok. I'm on a high horse because I've given a few lectures.

I resent this blatant generalization.

I took the time to type that all out precisely not to generalise.
Those are experiences I've had. I'm stating facts, describing events that have happened to me. These events inform my opinions. These self same opinions that I'm typing up here.

Of course there'l be a minority of students who can't hack it but thats not the case for the vast majority.

.
what I'm describing is nothing to do with "hacking it" or otherwise.

You don't need to 'correct papers' to know that.

again, I'm mentioning my experiences, in the hopes that you might believe that I do not say these things lightly. I am making an informed statement.

I resent the insinuation that many students are total idiots, which you seem to imply.

I seemed to imply nothing of the sort.

Also, can I ask what subject you lecture? You seem to think that you being a lecturer/tutor seems to give you the upper hand in this argument. It doesn't.

again, I'm stating my experiences. I'm not claiming to be special. I'm mentioning my opinion, and trying to show that it's an informed one.
I'm not a lecturer btw, I just give the very occasional one, and dealt with students for a bit.

Doesn't seem like the case to me tbh.

deisedude

deRanged wrote: »

what high horse?


what is - my statement or the return of fees?



very possibly.



you know UCC is operating at a massive deficit? you know staff are having their pay cut? you know they close the buildings during the summer to save money? you know they cut back on all sorts of services to save money? you know much of the equipment is old and badly needs replacement, but there's no money? you know contracts are not being renewed and as a result people are no longer employed?

this in unsustainable. something has to give.

have you ever given a lecture?
have you ever prepared work, prepared notes and slides and turned up to discover that many students couldn't be bothered to turn up?
have you ever corrected coursework, and had badly written gibberish handed up?
have you ever had a student call to tell you that he simply didn't bother to turn up to an exam and could he please have a re-sit?
have you ever corrected coursework and had many identical pages turned in?
have you ever had wikipedia articles turned in as coursework?

again, I don't say it lightly. I do think that the return of fees could be a very positive thing.

I think your statements are condescending to students. The introduction of fees is elitist, people shouldnt have to pick up a tab for the basic right of education. I'm well aware of all the arguments you posed; lecturers are well off enough to cope with a pay cut in all fairness. I dont think introducing fees are going to rectify many of the problems you oultined. Basic economics would tell you a decrease in students would mean less revenue anyway.

As for your questions based on your own experience. I havent encountered any of those problems as i'm not a lecturer. Just because your bitter with what i would figure is a small minority of students i dont think its fair to tarnish the rest of us with the same brush. You seem to believe that if students have to pay for their education they will respect it more. This argument may carry some credence with a few but the majority of students value their education anyway

deRanged

deisedude wrote: »

[The introduction of fees is elitist, people shouldnt have to pick up a tab for the basic right of education.

well who should pay then? someone has to. if not those receiving the education then who?

lecturers are well off enough to cope with a pay cut in all fairness.

now that is a generalisation. there are many pay scales and many fine lecturers are right down the lower end. they certainly will have problems with this pay cut.
one could even say that if lecturers have to take pay cuts students should pay fees. one could throw the word "fair" in there.

Basic economics would tell you a decrease in students would mean less revenue anyway.

and less cost.

As for your questions based on your own experience. I havent encountered any of those problems as i'm not a lecturer.

good thing too, or you'd also be on a high horse.

Just because your bitter

not in the least.
simply stating my opinions. waiting for someone to come along with a decent counter point instead of just telling me I'm on a high horse, or generalising, or being condescending.

You seem to believe that if students have to pay for their education they will respect it more.

you know, I do. I really really believe that. It's only one of the reasons that I think fees could be a good thing mind you.

This argument may carry some credence with a few but the majority of students value their education anyway

Have a glance through the boards here asking for advice on choosing courses. One of the primary questions is "how many hours a week". People are looking for courses with low hours. That says a lot to me. Couple that with low attendance figures, and that says even more to me. but it's still only one reason.

thebigcheese22

deRanged wrote: »

Have a glance through the boards here asking for advice on choosing courses. One of the primary questions is "how many hours a week".

Link? :rolleyes:

People are looking for courses with low hours. That says a lot to me. Couple that with low attendance figures, and that says even more to me. but it's still only one reason.

Ah yes, of course us students are the ones generalizing, of course! I'd suggest sir you get off boards and talk to students nowadays, as you seem to have a very skewed image of them. How many years have you been graduated? Seems like quite a while to me, so out of touch with students you seem to be.

Fairdues

If there's a stike on Monday 30th and the lecturers are taking strike action, I don't imagine anyone is going to miss vital lectures on that day. Lecturers would surely have to modify their plans to fit in any vital lectures at another time. They couldn't very well say afterwards -'That vital question on your final exam paper is actually the question/topic I would have covered if I hadn't been striking back on 30th March 2009'.

Ni.Chofaigh

does anyone know what the Irish department is doing as regards the strike? I have my Irish Oral that day and the irish dep. isnt exactly good at informing students of important things!

Aodan83

Ni.Chofaigh wrote: »

does anyone know what the Irish department is doing as regards the strike? I have my Irish Oral that day and the irish dep. isnt exactly good at informing students of important things!

As far as i am aware, they are holding any orals on or after that day, a day later. But I would check that with my teacher if I were you.
Back to the fees bit, if fees were introduced, then a lot of people may be discouraged from attending college as they dont want to end up with a massive debt.
If the Governments means tests are as fair as they say, it may not be a problem. Not big up on this issue tbh.
Oh, and BigCheese, DeRanged does not sound like he is on a horse of any type! He(I'm assumin its a guy) is just stating his opinion, and telling us what has happened to him. There is no need to rip into him, and come up with useless arguments about whether or not students are lazy!(You've been to the common room!)

Ah yes, of course us students are the ones generalizing, of course!

Seems like quite a while to me, so out of touch with students you seem to be. Seems like quite a while to me, so out of touch with students you seem to be.

And you, of all people, really shouldnt speak like yoda.
Fight the fees and all that though!!

thebigcheese22

Aodan83 wrote: »

Oh, and BigCheese, DeRanged does not sound like he is on a horse of any type! He(I'm assumin its a guy) is just stating his opinion, and telling us what has happened to him. There is no need to rip into him, and come up with useless arguments about whether or not students are lazy!(You've been to the common room!)

Shut up, if he saw that place he'd go crazy!

And you, of all people, really shouldnt speak like yoda.
Fight the fees and all that though!!

Just realised there, twas a tad Yoda-ish...apologies

deRanged

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Shut up, if he saw that place he'd go crazy!

I've not seen it, but I am well aware of it. I think it's an excellent resource.

johnny-fatality

deisedude wrote: »

lecturers are well off enough to cope with a pay cut in all fairness.

careful now

titan18

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Link? :rolleyes:



Ah yes, of course us students are the ones generalizing, of course! I'd suggest sir you get off boards and talk to students nowadays, as you seem to have a very skewed image of them. How many years have you been graduated? Seems like quite a while to me, so out of touch with students you seem to be.

I agree with DeRanged.Attendance is shocking.As a person who turns up to the vast majority of his lectures, I know that attendance in my lecture is shocking, and Commerce have labs in the ORB labs, and their attendance is shocking too.10 people turning up etc.

If fees are brought back in, numbers attending college may drop, but I'd say numbers attending classes will stay the same or rise

captainspeckle

deRanged wrote: »

well who should pay then? someone has to. if not those receiving the education then who?

In case you havent noticed the majority of students are BROKE. not all of us students dip into the bank of mummy and daddy at every ocassion, so how do you manage we pay the €30,000 + for our fees. i know there is a huge amount of students who are here for experience and not bothered about their education, buts its not exactly fair to the majority who work ridiculously hard to get through their course to be generalised in such a way. i know of people who have loans out already to pay for college costs, and thats without the re-introduction of fees!!!! tbh, once you are qualified its tough enough to make ends meet beteween houses, bills, cars, families etc. if I for one get landed with fees i wont be contributing much to the econmy for years after i graduate because i will be swamped with debt! our economy will still feel the effects if thats the case.

students as far as i know arent sole reason our economy is is such a state, so i dont see why we should be the ones who have to pay such a huge proportion of money for our government and bankers incompencies.

robbing peter to pay paul!

rant over.

grr....

deRanged

captainspeckle wrote: »

so how do you manage we pay the €30,000 + for our fees.

that's an interesting question. I'm not sure how fees should be managed.
There are so many options for fees - interest free loans, a special type of prsi for graduates, the size of the fees themselves and much more.
It could be that the fees would be relatively small - maybe a couple of thousand per year. I don't think we're looking at ten thousand plus per year like the foreign students pay to come here.

I really think that the blanket "no fees ever" approach will not work.

students as far as i know arent sole reason our economy is is such a state, so i dont see why we should be the ones who have to pay such a huge proportion of money for our government and bankers incompencies.

no, but maybe students need to contribute to their education.

robbing peter to pay paul!

or taxing peter for paul's "free" education, where I'm saying
make peter contribute to the costs of his education.

thebigcheese22

titan18 wrote: »

Commerce have labs in the ORB labs, and their attendance is shocking too.10 people turning up etc.

Excuse me, I'm in Commerce and there is certainly not only 10 going to tutorials. I have to drag myself to them tho, coz of those useless tutors grrr.


Is there anything you agree with me Craig or dya just disagree with me for the sake of it??! I'm genuinly interested*




















* May or may not be genuinly interested.

fredmc

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Excuse me, I'm in Commerce and there is certainly not only 10 going to tutorials. I have to drag myself to them tho, coz of those useless tutors grrr.

In 2nd Comm we have a 9.00 IS tutorial that has about 10 people in it, but we can go to two others that are normally quite full. I fully agree about the tutors.

OT-I'm in the same boat as square_igloo

Johnnyjump

If it goes ahaed it's Monday 30th. There are developments in the media today with IMPACT failing to secure 66% needed for strike action. There are further developments due in the next 24 hours, I'd say, so we had better not write off next Monday yet! Watch this space (and the news, of course)

thebigcheese22

Johnnyjump wrote: »

If it goes ahaed it's Monday 30th. There are developments in the media today with IMPACT failing to secure 66% needed for strike action. There are further developments due in the next 24 hours, I'd say, so we had better not write off next Monday yet! Watch this space (and the news, of course)

The developments with IMPACT have nothing to do with the shutdown going ahead (btw 65% of IMPACT members voted to strike). The shutdown is definitely going ahead, as the SU is mandated to do it by the recent referendum, for good or bad.

Unless one of those 'further developments' mentioned is a new referendum by the SU with the majority voting no, then the shutdown is quite definitely going ahead :rolleyes:

titan18

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Excuse me, I'm in Commerce and there is certainly not only 10 going to tutorials. I have to drag myself to them tho, coz of those useless tutors grrr.


Is there anything you agree with me Craig or dya just disagree with me for the sake of it??! I'm genuinly interested*




















* May or may not be genuinly interested.

No, I'm serious, I'm always in yer labs, never see you in there for tutorials, maybe you do when I'm in class.But Thursday's at 10, fridays at 1, there is noone in there.10-15 max.It was packed at the start of the year too, so its not just small tutorials

thebigcheese22

titan18 wrote: »

No, I'm serious, I'm always in yer labs, never see you in there for tutorials, maybe you do when I'm in class.But Thursday's at 10, fridays at 1, there is noone in there.10-15 max.It was packed at the start of the year too, so its not just small tutorials

Nah I have (had now coz my last one was today) mine on Mondays at 11. Don't put us Frenchies in with the straight Com! :eek:

titan18

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Nah I have (had now coz my last one was today) mine on Mondays at 11. Don't put us Frenchies in with the straight Com! :eek:

I cant actually say anything about your class then.But in BIS and in Commerce, attendance is poor.We get abut 20% for some classes

thebigcheese22

titan18 wrote: »

I cant actually say anything about your class then.But in BIS and in Commerce, attendance is poor.We get abut 20% for some classes

Fair enough. But I don't get why your for fees coz if they're reintroduced, you'l prob have to pay them?

titan18

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

Fair enough. But I don't get why your for fees coz if they're reintroduced, you'l prob have to pay them?

Probably, but its a joke as it is anyway.I also think current students wont pay for them

captainspeckle

deRanged wrote: »

It could be that the fees would be relatively small - maybe a couple of thousand per year. I don't think we're looking at ten thousand plus per year like the foreign students pay to come here.

there is a lot more costs than just fees. "relatively small fees" of a few thousand is a whole pile of money to someone who has to survive on working 8/10 hours at weekends.

yerayeah

So the library will be closed??

D-Generate

I don't see the actual point of this strike. A day of action by the students? What do the government care if students attend lectures or not? Its not like it has any impact on the tax revenue for that day. Furthermore if the students decide not to attend lectures for the day then it just reinforces the idea that why should fees be free if students are not bothered attending lectures.

I fully endorse the idea of fees being reintroduced and I am student that would have to pay these fees. Currently Ireland's third level education system pales in comparison to other European countries and to the States. A major reason for this is the funding made available. If UCC is to maintain an international standard it needs a larger resource pool, this can only be achieved by reintroducing fees and increasing government funding. At the current rate of things and with impending budget cuts, getting a degree in UCC and not paying any fees would only deliver a piece of paper that would be relatively worthless in the eyes of our international counterparts.

The spin that the SU are putting on the fees debacle is horrendous. They have not been prepared to discuss any alternative arrangement and instead are vehemently against introduction of fees of any sort. They see third-level education as a human right, but I alway was under the assumption that third-level education is a priveledge.
It is my belief that fees should come back but there should be made wide availability of low-interest loans and an increase in the number of scholarships to those who are gifted in the summer examinations. Those dedicated to pursuing an active role in furthering their education would not be deterred by the inconvenience of accruing a loan over the 4 years, however those who go to college merely to delay entering the working world at low skill jobs would be deterred by the cost involved.
I have worked part-time jobs where my co-workers have completed 4-year degrees in Commerce, Arts and numerous other subjects. They have entered jobs that have not required the use of anything beyond what they knew from the Leaving Cert. Why should the nations tax payers contribute to funding these people who will contribute nothing more to society than if they had left the education system at 18?
Its about time that attending University stops becoming a passage to adulthood, because you are an adult at 18. Introducing fees can seek to rectify the situation so that those who are determined to succeed will be rewarded by receiving an education at a well funded university whilst those who are interested in just parties for 4 years will be deterred by the costs involved.

I could go on and offer the idea that the cost of fees are different for each degree. Fees would be calculated by looking at the mean tax revenue from graduates of that degree. High tax revenue means that the course produces graduates who contribute a large return in revenue and are in demand, hence fees should be reduced for this course so as to produce more candidates which will be returning high tax revenue. Similarly, those courses where the tax revenue of graduates is low should have to pay increased costs as the pay-off of generating graduates from this course isn't as good.
Unfortunately this idea comes across as quite elitist but I would bet my house that those studying Engineering, Medicine, Physics and Maths would favour this method. Those studying Archaeology, maybe not so.....