Lifestyle & Sports
09 Nov 21

"Enough is enough! Students deserve better!" - USI plan protests around the country this month for affordable education

Cork, Dublin and Galway will see three student protests for affordable education later this month.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have announced three protests in Cork, Galway and Dublin this month for affordable education.

In a video posted with the news, President of the USI Clare Austick said, "Education is a right and not a privilege.

With the highest fees in the EU and inaccessible third-level education, enough is enough and we're saying fuck that!"

The USI raised their main issues with the cost of being a student in Ireland in the video, saying that the SUSI grant does not cover the cost of living, student support services are understaffed and not supported enough, and "private investors that build luxury accommodation that none of us can afford."

Featuring representatives from different colleges and universities from around the country, the video closes with the message: "If you're pissed off and fed up of paying thousands of euros just to avail of a third level degree, join us!"

In an interview with Hot Press back in September, Clare Austick touched on the lack of affordable student housing in Ireland.

"We’ve consistently been calling for the Government to recognise this," she said. "And to allocate funding through capital grants to HEIs, so that they can build their own purpose-built student accommodation – whether it’s on or off campus – and regulate the rent in that way.

If they keep giving the contracts to private property developers, they’re going to be profit-driven and only think about how they can make money off students.”

The three protests will take place on

November 22 - Cork
November 23 - Dublin
November 24 - Galway

Extortionate rents, the highest college fees in the EU & soaring costs of living⁉️ F*CK THAT❗

As part of our #CostOfCollege campaign USI is holding THREE REGIONAL PROTESTS where students will march for their right to an affordable higher education#FuckTheFees #NoKeysNoDegrees pic.twitter.com/gfCcOJXQRG

— Union of Students in Ireland (@TheUSI) November 8, 2021