March with me.
- Details
- Category: The President's Blog - Mairead
- Published on Thursday, 03 November 2011 12:43
Hello everyone,
I hope this blog find you well.
Unfortunately, it is that time of year again.
It’s time to march.
The National Student March will take place Wednesday November 16th and I would encourage each and every one of you to be part of it. Free buses will leave from MIC but you need to sign up in the SU in advance.
Traditionally, the majority of MIC students have never been very politically motivated and MISU is an apolitical organisation but this isn’t all about politics, it is about your welfare.
We now live in a country that has been politically, socially and economically shook and in turn, has left every sector of Irish society dishevelled. Third level students are no exception to this - you are no exception to this.
Every one of you have been affected by changes in the last Budget, whether it is the rise in the Registration Fee now dubbed the Student Contribution or you have witnessed a severe cut to your grant. This is why we must march together as a unified body of students all across Ireland who cannot take the hit for the poor decisions made by those in power.
- There is currently no cap on the Student Contribution and its needs one. This fee has increased 13times in the last 15 years. The Higher Education grant has seen an overall of 8.8% cut since the start of the recession and other students have experienced worse cuts to their grant due to criteria change for the non-adjacent rate.
- This is why we must march.
- a Registration Fee of €190 to pay for Student Services like medical centres,
In terms of the government’s stance on third level education and the issue of fees, I would like to quote from USI’s website as they instrumented the pledge:
- Prior to General Election 2011 USI wrote to every Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, Green and Sinn Féin candidate for Dáil Éireann asking them to sign a USI Pledge not to increase college fees or cut the grant.
- Labour Party Education Spokesperson Ruairí Quinn and Party Leader Eamon Gilmore signed the pledge, committing their party that under no circumstances would they be part of a Government increase college fees or cut the grant.
- Fine Gael promised to not increase the student registration fee further.
- During October 2011 USI contacted every Government TD and asked them to state that they would stand over what they had promised.... NOT ONE TD STATED THAT THEY WOULD KEEP THEIR PROMISES.”
Let’s be realistic about this, the governments hands are tied to a certain extent but you cannot sign an agreement and not stick to it. They have absolutely no idea what is going on, on the ground. They are clueless to how financially tough so many students are finding College at the moment, never mind the psychological and emotional effects it is having on many of you.
I fear that once again, that the rights and needs of students are getting lost in the political storm and we will be blown out of the water with astronomical financial pressures in a short space of time.
This is why we must march together.
No one else is going to march for you.
Hopefully see you there,
Mairead