“Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of each €100 reduction in the student contribution charge at third level …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 20 September]
“This year isn’t the first time that the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has decided against holding its annual March for Education. In 2015, after the momentous victory of the yes side in the marriage equality referendum and with a general election on the horizon, the student movement also took a breather and opted to hold a national voter registration day in the march’s stead …” (more)
[University Times, 9 September]
“The Union of Students’ in Ireland (USI) will this year join the march for housing, instead of organising its annual pre-budget march for education, amid an ongoing housing crisis. Raise the Roof, the march for housing, will be held on October 3rd, and will be advocating for housing for all …” (more)
[Eleanor O’Mahony, University Times, 6 September]
“A complaint against Trinity’s Academic Registry in relation to postgraduate fees has been upheld by the Office of the Ombudsman, as published in the August 2018 edition of the Ombudsman’s casebook. The complaint, which was completed in October 2017, relates to a man who stated he had received inaccurate information about the fees for his two year Masters course in Trinity …” (more)
[Niamh Lynch, Trinity News, 11 August]
“Last week, almost 40 students received fee refunds after lodging complaints about the quality of the journalism programme at NUI Galway (NUIG). For many third-level students across the country, the problems cited – poor communication from co-ordinators, lack of work placements, little access to equipment – were no doubt all too familiar …” (more)
[University Times, 6 August]
“In March, when Take Back Trinity roiled the campus, College seemed to resolutely promise fee certainty to international and postgraduate students. Last week’s fiasco, which saw Trinity reverse course on a 5% fee increase for international students, therefore looks rather mystifying – even if, like us, you’ve become conditioned to expect rather elliptical decision-making from the College …” (more)
[University Times, 6 August]
“NUIG students have expressed their relief after complaints about the organisation of the BA Journalism course during the third year of the program were upheld. Over the last week, NUIG announced that they will be refunding an entire years worth of tuition fees to current third and fourth year students on their BA Journalism course after they received complaints about the organisation of the course during the third year of the program …” (more)
[Payu Tiwari, Independent, 5 August]
“Students were left without basic equipment. Printers were faulty for months on end. The outdated studio regularly broke down – and when it did work, the quality was poor. Students reported little or no feedback on assignments they handed in for the first semester and had to request them in order to get an idea of how they were performing …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 31 July]
“The incoming Head of Journalism at NUI Galway has apologised to students over what he called ‘major problems’ in the BA Journalism course at the university. Current third and fourth year students in the course are to receive a refund of one years tuition fees after a complaint relating to the standard of the course was upheld …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 30 July]
“College has agreed to reverse proposed 5% fee increases for international and postgraduate students following outcry from students. Following fee hikes for international and postgraduate students last week, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) held a meeting with College this morning to discuss the fee increases …” (more)
[Lauren Boland, Trinity News, 30 July]
“Dozens of journalism students at NUI Galway have been refunded their fees due to concerns over the quality of the course they were studying. Between 30 and 40 third- and fourth-year students on the undergraduate journalism programme have been refunded at a cost of more than €100,000 to the college …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 30 July]
“College had finally settled down for the summer after an overwhelming year of student protests when it emerged this week that some international students had been charged an unexpected five per cent increase in fees. Bewilderment is what followed …” (more)
[University Times, 29 July]
“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is deeply concerned that senior management in Trinity College Dublin may have reneged on an agreement with their Students’ Union that guaranteed that international non-EU and postgraduate multi-year fees would not rise …” (more)
[USI, 27 July]
“Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) has released a statement on its Facebook page addressing a 5% fee increase in postgraduate and continuing international student fees, news that appears to break a college agreement on fee certainty reached this year …” (more)
[Peter Kelly, Trinity News, 27 July]
“Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) will meet with College on Monday, after apparent fee hikes for international students triggered panic and accusations that Trinity had reneged on the fee certainty agreement brokered last term …” (more)
[Eleanor O’Mahony, University Times, 26 July]
“College has increased non-EU and postgraduate fees by 5%, appearing to breach the fee certainty agreement agreed upon by the College Board in March, which followed the Take Back Trinity protests. College agreed to give fee certainty to postgraduate students and continuing international undergraduate students. College issued the fee certainty agreement following the success of the Take Back Trinity movement in March …” (more)
[Stacy Wrenn, Trinity News, 26 July]
“Thousands of parents and students may be missing out on valuable tax relief on qualifying third level fees because they are not claiming it, according to Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Finance Michael McGrath TD. Deputy McGrath was speaking having received figures from the Ministers for Finance and Education and Skills which point to a significant under claiming of this tax relief …” (more)
[Mary Bermingham, TheCork.ie, 26 July]
“Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost per annum of maintaining third level charges at their current rate for each year of the next five years; the cost of abolishing all such fees for each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 12 July]
“Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty TD has repeated his party’s pledge to abolish student fees as part of a fiery speech in which he put it up to the government to hold an election. The Donegal deputy referred to himself as a potential finance minister in a keynote address at the party’s Ard Fheis at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 15 June]
“Decisions and action are needed before a stalemate on higher education funding leads to further impact on students, the author of a key 2016 report to Government has warned. Peter Cassells, chair of the expert group whose report has been awaiting political decisions for two years, said the status quo is not a cost-free option …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 14 June]
