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College Tribune | October 14th 2008
News Investigations News
No Charges, No Fees... and no Fianna Fail TD TD Martin Mansergh has dismissed allegations that he “cowarded out of tough questions” after backing out of a recent debate in the college. The South Tipperary politician lashed back at the claims, saying, “I am no shrinking violet.” Mansergh was due to speak in the college at a debate on Irish patriotism last week, whereupon anti-fees group FEE ( Free Education for Everyone) planned to seize the opportunity to “make him accountable”. Spokesperson for FEE Mary O’ Flynn says “We consider his no-show a victory for our campaign and for the protest we staged. His party proposes to make access to places like UCD difficult for future UCD students, so we were going to make access for him just as difficult.” Over a hundred people gathered at the demonstration that was held in anticipation of Mansergh’s arrival in the college. The protest moved around the campus, finishing outside the theatre where the politician was due to arrive, chanting “no charges, no fees, no Fianna Fail TDs”. It was announced later in the evening that Mansergh would not be arriving into the debate, and an alternative speaker was put in place. “I can tell you now that the reason I decided not to come to UCD to participate in this debate has absolutely nothing to do with a pressure group. On the night in question, I had to attend an alternative urgent arrangement. I have attended pressurised meetings in the likes of West Belfast, so there is no truth in claims I backed out because of this anti-fees group. I will be hope-
■ Jennifer Bray
■ Michael Mansergh: ‘Not a shrinking violet’ fully back in UCD to speak in a few weeks.” Commenting on the possibility of Mansergh being scheduled to return, O’Flynn warned, “If he comes back, he should expect difficulties. We will hold him and his party accountable”. The FEE organisation aim to oppose the re-introduction of fees in all guises, and further aim to scrap the existing third level registration fee that currently stand at around 900 euro in most colleges. Reports of a possible increase in registration fee have also been met with widespread criticism.
■ Boisterous: The protest outside Theatre M, and Mary O’Flynn (inset)
Opposition attack proposals for major hike in student registration fee Government proposals to increase the third-level registration fee have been met with widespread criticism from the opposition and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). Fine Gael Spokesperson for Education Brian Hayes has slated the proposal as a “ridiculous attempt to generate extra money for the coffers of the education sector.” He further stated that those who would be facing the extra costs would be parents. “Now that there is a financial hole in the sector they should not try to plug it by doing this because at the end of the day the people who will have to face these higher costs will be parents.” Labour spokesperson for Education Ruairi Quinn and President of the USI Shane Kelly have dismissed talk of an
■ Opposition: Fine Gael’s Brian Hayes (left) and USI President Shane Kelly
■ Jennifer Bray increased fee as merely a back-door to introducing fees. Quinn claimed the hike was simply a “revenue generating scam” and went on to say that any increase would show the government to be breaking previously made promises in education. “The money raised will not make our universities better. This increase will barely soften the even bigger cutbacks I’m expecting in the education budget,” he said. Quinn concluded that the main result of any such eventuality would be that “instead of studying, (students) will have to work harder in part time jobs and struggle to make ends meet”. USI president Shane Kelly said increasing the charge would be a com-
plete back-stepping of the policies quoted by O’Keeffe ever since the debate on fees has been slotted back onto the agenda. “He wanted a debate on how the fees would be handled and now he’s not getting the response he
wants. He appears to have decided to circumvent the debate, the colleges and the students by moving to increase the registration fee instead,” he said. The Minister for Education is believed to be examining a report from
the Higher Education Authority which outlines predictions on the revenue which the return of charges would create. While the Minister continues to signal that he will not consider the burden of fees on any households with an income of less than €120,000 per year, it is believed the HEA report says at least €50 million could be raised, even from a fees regime with a very high income limit. Recently it was exposed that up to 75% of the previous increase in the registration fee went straight towards a governmental black hole.