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Ógra Shinn Féin Join Mass March against Student Fees
 national |
rights and freedoms |
news report
 Thursday February 05, 2009 15:40 by Educate to be Free - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie
Ógra Shinn Féin activists from across Ireland, students and workers alike, joined with thousands of people yesterday marching against the introduction of student fees by Minister Batt O Keefe and the Fianna Fáil led government.
Ógra Shinn Féin held banners, and placards, distributed thousands of leaflets and Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty passionately addressed the thronged crowd of protestors at Leinster house to a very warm and enthusiastic reception.
National Organiser of Ógra Shinn Féin, Barry McColgan said,
“Ógra Shinn Féin support free education for all, and are utterly opposed to the current onslaught on public spending by the Dublin government. We believe that third level education is a right, and should be safeguarded from fees which elevate it to a privilege which only a minority can benefit from.”
“It is heartening to witness thousands upon thousands of students, marching in defiance of the Dublin government and their attempts to introduce student fees, and the loud chorus of ‘No Fianna Fail T.Ds’, coming from a mobilised and empowered youth electorate, will hopefully resonate and bring pressure to bear on the government benches in Leinster house.”
“Ógra Shinn Féin will continue to stand with students and campaign with all the vulnerable sections of society who are targets and victims of these cutbacks. Only an empowered and mobilised response is adequate and the march in Dublin is a sign of things to come, this is a fight that the students are up for!”
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But it's a pity that Sinn Fein has done nothing to tackle the issue of student loans/fees/debt in the North, as they and others said they would.
Fair play to all who turned out.
However, students being against paying for fees is a bit like turkeys being against Christmas.
It's an expression of self-interest.
If students were showing up in large numbers at other protests, then that would be something remarkable.
The economy need is business graduates, scientists, engineers, computer whizkids and other technically skilled and highly educated individuals who as soon as they walk out the door of their universities can take the lead and start up the enterprises that Ireland needs to compete in the 21st century knowledge economy.
What we don't need is a surplus of people who have a degree in English literature, Ancient Roman History, Philosophy, politics, European History or Sociology who have next to nothing in terms of real employment prospects in the real market place.
If universities could cut funding to these mickey mouse courses and pour the funding into studies that have real value in the real world then I would support it.
If you want to doss for four years learning complete BS then you should have to pay for the priviledge.
The dismissal of many arts degrees as of no importance is short sighted and detrimental to society as a whole. The whole Celtic Tiger experience tells us on thing – among many – that knowing the price of everything and having price of every latest brand did not do much good for the mental well being of either individuals or society.
Once a human has satisfied their basic needs of food, accommodation, etcetera it is culture that provides the cuisine for our brain.
As for the economic aspect of arts degrees [and all degrees in fact] society will benefit for the higher education of a larger section of its people. Skills today are far more about being flexible and knowing how to find answers [or even where to look for answers] as about particular practical skills [although they are vitally important as well]. The pace of change is far out stripping the syllabi of our schools and universities abilities to teach the latest technology.
Thatcher had the same attitude in the 80s and the damage done to society is still being felt today.
Ogra Sinn Fein protest against education policy from "leinster house" but support similar policies from "stormont on the hill". Is Catherine Ruane doing a good job then?