Gary Redmond

reap-a-rat

Skopzz wrote: »

All the socialists on here should consider this:

The country is living beyond its means and cannot afford to keep paying for people. The grants are just one thing that will be cut - they are also cutting social welfare, child benefit and so on. Lecturers salaries should be cut too.

The Simpsons wrote:

Homer Simpson: Good practice, kids. Now it's time for the easiest part of any coach's job. The cuts. Although I wasn't able to cut everyone I wanted to, I have cut a lot of you. Wendell is cut. Rudy is cut. Janey, you're gone. Steven, I like your hustle
[Steven smiles]
Homer Simpson: . That's why it was so hard to cut you
[Steven's smile drops]
Homer Simpson: . Congratulations, the rest of you made the team!
[random sighs of relief]
Homer Simpson: Except you, you and you.

We'll all be astounded when Noonan takes this approach in December :pac:

bildo

Skopzz wrote: »

All the socialists on here should consider this:

The country is living beyond its means and cannot afford to keep paying for people. The grants are just one thing that will be cut - they are also cutting social welfare, child benefit and so on. Lecturers salaries should be cut too.

Please provide a historical example of a successful government imposed austerity program that didn't also involve going to war.

Skopzz

bildo wrote: »

Please provide a historical example of a successful government imposed austerity program that didn't also involve going to war.

The cuts are needed to prevent Ireland going bankrupt. The country is living beyond its means and many do not appreciate this because they realize that their pay is under threat. The people who elected Brian Lenihan ultimately sealed their fate because he guaranteed all bank debts in 2008. This is person whom the book ultimately stops with. In essence, Fianna Fail bankrupted Ireland.

Now that these bank guarantees are written into Irish law, there is no other choice but to impose cutbacks. The grants are generous compared to other countries.

challengemaster

Skopzz wrote: »

All the socialists on here should consider this:

The country is living beyond its means and cannot afford to keep paying for people. The grants are just one thing that will be cut - they are also cutting social welfare, child benefit and so on. Lecturers salaries should be cut too.

Skopzz wrote: »

The grants are generous compared to other countries.

Hold your horses there. The grant doesn't even cover the cost of accomodation for the year, nor were they readily inflated half as much as child benefits or social welfare during the boom.

You keep babbling on about things being cut, what about the crazy salaries of people working in RTÉ and positions in government?

In 2008 Pat kenny was earning €950k a year, and that's one person. Yes that has dropped since, but that's still crazy.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0610/1224298692429.html

Only two weeks ago then there was this:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0925/aib.html

Skopzz

challengemaster wrote: »

Hold your horses there. The grant doesn't even cover the cost of accomodation for the year, nor were they readily inflated half as much as child benefits or social welfare during the boom.

You keep babbling on about things being cut, what about the crazy salaries of people working in RTÉ and positions in government?

In 2008 Pat kenny was earning €950k a year, and that's one person. Yes that has dropped since, but that's still crazy.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0610/1224298692429.html

Only two weeks ago then there was this:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0925/aib.html

I am a proponent of steep pay cuts for Pat Kenny et al. In fact, that is exactly why I stopped paying my TV License because I did NOT want to subsidize Pat Kenny or Finucane not to mention the subsidized canteens RTÉ Staff get. I no longer own a TV.

murraykil

challengemaster wrote: »

Hold your horses there. The grant doesn't even cover the cost of accomodation for the year, nor were they readily inflated half as much as child benefits or social welfare during the boom.

You keep babbling on about things being cut, what about the crazy salaries of people working in RTÉ and positions in government?

In 2008 Pat kenny was earning €950k a year, and that's one person. Yes that has dropped since, but that's still crazy.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0610/1224298692429.html

Only two weeks ago then there was this:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0925/aib.html

The amount of rent that the grant will vary vastly between Dublin and Limerick for example. Maybe the grant amount should reflect this?

The fact that the grant may not have risen to the same degree as other state benefits during the boom may be due to the fact that it was felt that students were already being supported sufficiently, or even excessively.

The fact that many, not all I'm sure and not even the majority I would hope, of students just spend the grant money on alcohol anyway probably didn't help.

The high drop-out rates in the IT's too may also have deterred too much of a rise. This is just speculation on why the grant may not have risen at the same levels as other Governments supports as you suggest.

Regardless, the level of financial support given, even when it's the maximum charge of e2k for an academic year, to Irish third level students is very generous in comparison to pretty much every other country.

apoch632

Regardless, the level of financial support given, even when it's the maximum charge of e2k for an academic year, to Irish third level students is very generous in comparison to pretty much every other country.

France €169
Germany €500-€1000 (with variations State to State)
Sweden Free
Finland Free
Austria Free
Denmark Free

Skopzz

I think he/she was comparing our fees to the USA and Britain. The fact Ireland is an English speaking country exposes our Universities to more demand from abroad (especially from EU members) seeking to bypass the USA and Britain (who charge higher than us).

Ireland pays Lecturers circa EUR100,000 per year. All that has to be paid for... I am in favor of steep pay cuts for Lecturers but even if they did impose them, we would still be in debt. That's the problem.

Brian Lenihan exposed us to unlimited liabilities to cover Bank bondholders.

Why aren't people protesting against this menace?

whadabouchasir

Skopzz wrote: »

I think he/she was comparing our fees to the USA and Britain.

Then maybe they should have said this rather than suggesting that we should be glad to just have to pay 2,200 a year,when in reality only the U.K has higher fees than us in the E.U and even they have a loan system in place as well as having Universities which are higher ranked internationally than ours.

challengemaster

Skopzz wrote: »

Why aren't people protesting against this menace?

Probably because he's dead.

maygitchell

challengemaster wrote: »

Probably because he's dead.

apoch632

Skopzz wrote: »

I think he/she was comparing our fees to the USA and Britain.

Fine so Scotland who don't charge fees for EU students.

And who consistently outperform Ireland in the rankings of Universities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15195718

Skopzz

apoch632 wrote: »

Fine so Scotland who don't charge fees for EU students.

And who consistently outperform Ireland in the rankings of Universities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15195718

If people here are only concerned about the ranking of their University, they are being short-sighted.

Going to a higher ranked University simply means you get marked harder and come out with a low degree. Going to a British University would obviously imply this and given the history between the two countries, you can expect this as an Irish student.

murraykil

apoch632 wrote: »

Fine so Scotland who don't charge fees for EU students.

And who consistently outperform Ireland in the rankings of Universities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15195718

Scotland is a great example!

Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland are currently charged between £1,820 and £2,895 per year to study for a Scottish university degree – a sum that could increase to up to £9,000 from next year.

This is due to the fact that Scottish universites can no longer afford the influx of students from other EU states who cannot be charged since Scottish students are not charged. Also, "the Scottish fees system contravenes article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and could also be in breach of the Equality Act, implemented last year" according to Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers.

The pressure is going to increase on them greatly to spread the fees around as to not to further discriminate against students from elsewhere in the UK, and well as risk losing new enrollments from these places also.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/aug/21/scotland-university-fees-discriminate-lawyer

The cost of free education in Scotland:

Representatives of Scotland's colleges painted a bleaker picture on the back of funding cuts. Paul Little, principal and chief executive of City of Glasgow College, said: "We will have to make savings of £4.3 million over the next three years. That's on the back of cuts we've just seen where 100 staff left the college in the last year. We'll see potentially in excess of that in the next three years going forward."

http://news.scotsman.com/news/Universities-at-sea-over-fee.6847858.jp

The rise of Scottish universites in the "rankings" will be hard to sustain if they cannot afford to keep their staffing levels.

whadabouchasir

Skopzz wrote: »

Going to a higher ranked University simply means you get marked harder and come out with a low degree. Going to a British University would obviously imply this and given the history between the two countries, you can expect this as an Irish student.

Hmmm didn't you bring up this exact same point in another thread,I'm beginning to think that you may have some sort of agenda;)

murraykil

whadabouchasir wrote: »

Hmmm didn't you bring up this exact same point in another thread,I'm beginning to think that you may have some sort of agenda;)

I'd be more interested in the agenda of the OP who started a thread on a person with what seems to be for the role purpose of thanking those who can come up with any derogatory remark they can on this individual while offering nothing to the discussion as to why he deserves this degradation.

His best contribution has been:

Im shamed that man (*insert species here*) represents the views of the student body

From the evidence of here his main crime has been to align himself to an un-popular political party, which I thought was still allowed in a democracy and his physical appearance, surely not enough to warrant the abuse which he is receiving here.

apoch632

murraykil wrote: »

Scotland is a great example!

This is due to the fact that Scottish universites can no longer afford the influx of students from other EU states who cannot be charged since Scottish students are not charged.

Actually its to prevent an influx from the rest of the UK not the EU and allow Scottish University places for Scottish students

PomBear

murraykil wrote: »

I'd be more interested in the agenda of the OP who started a thread on a person with what seems to be for the role purpose of thanking those who can come up with any derogatory remark they can on this individual while offering nothing to the discussion as to why he deserves this degradation.

His best contribution has been:



From the evidence of here his main crime has been to align himself to an un-popular political party, which I thought was still allowed in a democracy and his physical appearance, surely not enough to warrant the abuse which he is receiving here.

Not really, the USI have been wasting our time for a number of years now with Redmond at the helm. Saying they're fighting fees while just going and taking uncontroversial photo opps, all the while boosting their CV and looking for a career or job in politics through it.

murraykil

apoch632 wrote: »

Actually its to prevent an influx from the rest of the UK not the EU and allow Scottish University places for Scottish students

Actually, I think I'll take the word of the Scottish Education Secretary over yours.

EU students flock to Scottish universities
13/01/2011

A record number of EU students have enrolled at Scotland's universities, up 17 per cent last year new statistics revealed today as Education Secretary Michael Russell highlighted their cost to the taxpayer has risen almost fourfold since the start of the decade.

Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that between 2008-09 and 2009-10:

The number of Scots starting full-time courses in 2009-10 increased by three per cent - from 38,740 to 40,045 year-on-year
The number of EU students increased by 17 per cent, from 13,585 to 15,930. This is an increase of 94 per cent on 2000-01 when 8,195 EU students came to Scotland
In contrast the number of EU students attending English institutions increased by only six per cent between 2008-09 and 2009-10
Enrolments from full fee-paying non-EU students increased by five per cent - from 23,960 to 25,075
The number of enrolments from the UK increased by one per cent to 179,905, with an overall increase of six per cent since 2005-06
In total, there were 220,910 enrolments at Scottish HEIs, up three per cent - almost two-thirds of the increase was due to enrolments from overseas students
European law means that the Scottish Government is obliged to pay the fees of students living in non-UK EU countries - at a cost of more than £75 million a year in 2009-10 compared to £20 million in 2000-01 when 8,195 EU students came to Scotland.

As part of the ongoing debate over the future of higher education, Mr Russell is seeking to end an anomaly that sees students from across Europe receive free education.

The Education Secretary said:

"Scottish universities have always been cosmopolitan institutions - that is part of their attraction - but we cannot allow them to become a cheap option for students who have to pay to go to university in their home countries. That's why I have made clear our intention to tackle the anomalous situation that forces the Scottish Government to pay on behalf of students from the rest of the EU who choose to study here.

"Having already written to EU Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, I intend to seek a meeting with her to discuss the issue when I visit Brussels next month. The number of EU students has almost doubled in recent years and the total cost has risen almost fourfold. The Scottish taxpayer is now facing a bill of £75 million a year. That is simply not tenable.

"These figures are all for the year before it became clear that England would triple the fees students are forced to pay. Building a Smarter Future - our green paper for a sustainable future for higher education in Scotland - makes clear, faced with fees in England increasing up to £9,000, our intention to raise fees for students from the rest of the UK. The need to take this action is underlined by today's figures that show an increase of 12 per cent in the number of entrants from England - three years before the higher fees are introduced there.

"That said, I am pleased to see that not only has the number of Scots starting full-time courses increased, overall university enrolments are up three per cent year-on-year. These figures demonstrate once again the high international standing of Scottish higher education.

"However, it is crucial that we ensure our universities retain their international competitiveness and continue to attract students on the basis of their academic ability, not because they are perceived as being a cheap option."

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/01/13105353

murraykil

PomBear wrote: »

Not really, the USI have been wasting our time for a number of years now with Redmond at the helm. Saying they're fighting fees while just going and taking uncontroversial photo opps, all the while boosting their CV and looking for a career or job in politics through it.

Thanks for the input of valid criticism rather than inane personal remarks over his appearance! Fanboy Gitchell is happy with it too!

maygitchell

murraykil wrote: »

Thanks for the input of valid criticism rather than inane personal remarks over his appearance! Fanboy Gitchell is happy with it too!

Indeed I am


Whats your point? That I didnt make a point?


Look back to my OP, I was shocked at the dude being listed on the Irish Times list, the man is undeniably and shockingly known to be out for a career out of this position rather than to aid the USI.


Which leads me to question if you are a mate of his or not?

murraykil

maygitchell wrote: »

Indeed I am


Whats your point? That I didnt make a point?


Look back to my OP, I was shocked at the dude being listed on the Irish Times list, the man is undeniably and shockingly known to be out for a career out of this position rather than to aid the USI.


Which leads me to question if you are a mate of his or not?

Good man, finally you come up with the courage to speak your own mind.

Your OP called for a discussion on him being on the Irish Times list. There was little discussion and none by you on the merits of him being on that list.

Instead there were mostly personal, derogatory remarks about his appearance etc. which you encouraged, thus making your OP nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to encourage immature personal remarks, rather than discuss his efforts, or lack of effort with regard to his important role.

He is not my mate.

maygitchell

murraykil wrote: »

Good man, finally you come up with the courage to speak your own mind.

Your OP called for a discussion on him being on the Irish Times list. There was little discussion and none by you on the merits of him being on that list.

Instead there were mostly personal, derogatory remarks about his appearance etc. which you encouraged, thus making your OP nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to encourage immature personal remarks, rather than discuss his efforts, or lack of effort with regard to his important role.

He is not my mate.

I dont think you are being insulting, rather wanting a lively debate, so I apologise for my hasty behaviour.

In all fairness, he has been well discussed before on this forum, and it is obvious he is career minded, now if you want to run for USI president id say you may just do a better job

murraykil

maygitchell wrote: »

I dont think you are being insulting, rather wanting a lively debate, so I apologise for my hasty behaviour.

In all fairness, he has been well discussed before on this forum, and it is obvious he is career minded, now if you want to run for USI president id say you may just do a better job

I don't think my fragile ego could handle the personal abuse and intrusion that goes with politics these days!

Some of the intrusion is necessary I guess so that the public know who they are dealing with, but much of it just petty.

constantg

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

because nothing is ever accomplished by talking with the people in government....

USI have NEVER achieved ANYTHING by talking to the people in government, out of government, people anywhere!

Raging_Ninja

constantg wrote: »

USI have NEVER achieved ANYTHING by talking to the people in government, out of government, people anywhere!

== USI never achieved anything?

murraykil

Without wanting to inflame things again, is it maybe that students and student concerns are not taken seriously, or are just a low priority?

Students are only in college for a defined time, so maybe student issues, despite carrying on to the new students, lose momentum when the previous body leaves and the new body comes in.

Ficheall

murraykil wrote: »

so maybe student issues, despite carrying on to the new students, lose momentum when the previous body leaves and the new body comes in.

Maybe "student issues" are largely bs?

PomBear

Ficheall wrote: »

Maybe "student issues" are largely bs?

Such as the prospect of emigration or the dole, yeah, what bs! the spoiled brats! :rolleyes:

constantg

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

== USI never achieved anything?

I don't see you disagreeing with me!