Ninth Level Ireland

“The president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has criticised the University of Limerick (UL) for proposals for on-campus accommodation that includes putting a second bed into rooms that were previously designed for single occupancy. Lorna Fitzpatrick said it is impossible to see how students would live or study in the conditions proposed by UL management …” (more)

[Vivienne Clarke, Irish Times, 25 February]

“University of Limerick have defended their decision to double-up some single rooms of their on-campus accommodation. In a statement the university said that the decision was taken ‘in an attempt to meet unprecedented demand in the shortest possible timeframe amid a national housing crisis’ …” (more)

[Ciarán Sunderland and Vivienne Clarke, Irish Examiner, 25 February]

“Students’ unions promised to protest until student accommodation hikes are reversed by universities. The National Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has confirmed to Independent.ie that campus protests will continue until next week. Students have taken to the streets in response to their respective universities raising campus accommodation rents for the coming academic year, 2020/2021 …” (more)

[Gabija Gataveckaite, Independent, 21 February]

“Elections in Ireland come around every four or five years. They provide an opportunity for voters to pick the parties and individuals who will best represent the interests of the country and its people. It is a time for our politicians to set out their stall on why they should be entrusted with government …” (more)

[Jim Miley, Lorna Fitzpatrick and Joseph Ryan, University Times, 31 January]

“Students and third level colleges have united to call on political parties to commit to invest more in higher education to prevent Ireland ‘losing ground’ against international competitors. In a joint statement, the Union of Students in Ireland, the Irish Universities Association and the Technological Higher Education Association said State funding per student at third level is now 40% less than it was a decade ago …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 23 January]

“‘Crisis, what crisis?’ Three words that helped bring down Jim Callaghan’s Labour government in the 1979 UK general election. The prime minister never actually uttered these words. A Sun subeditor fashioned the headline but it captured the popular impression of an administration unaware of a serious state of affairs which had caught up with it …” (more)

[Lorna Fitzpatrick, Joseph Ryan and Jim Miley, Irish Times, 23 January]

“Higher education colleges and students have come together to push for a pre-election commitment for politicians for an increased €100m a year for the third-level sector. State funding per student to third level institutions is now 40% less than it was a decade ago because of austerity-era cuts that have not been reversed …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 23 January]

“Close to 2,000 students have registered to vote in the general election across colleges and third-level institutions in recent days, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has said. University College Cork (UCC) saw the most students sign up to be included on the supplementary electoral register in the last week …” (more)

[Jack Power, Irish Times, 21 January]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has called on Ireland’s next government to remove the student contribution charge – at €3,000, the second-highest college fee in the EU – and advocated for free public transport for students, in its general election manifesto released this evening …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee and Cormac Watson, University Times, 15 January]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has called for clarity around voter registration ahead of the upcoming general election, arguing the government must ensure students who have registered in the last year are automatically able to vote on February 8th …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 14 January]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has today attacked a new Oireachtas report on direct provision, arguing it does not do enough for students seeking asylum when it comes to access to third-level education …” (more)

[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 13 December]

“The Union of Students of Ireland (USI) tonight voted to support rent strike campaigns set up to protest the cost of student accommodation in Ireland. The motion was passed without objection at USI’s national council, which was held in Trinity this evening …” (more)

[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 15 November]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the trade union Siptu have joined forces to campaign for improved terms and conditions for postgraduate students who carry out teaching and other work in third level colleges. Many postgraduates experience precarious working conditions and low pay within their higher education institutions, according to Siptu organiser Dave Curran …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 29 October]

“Activists from Trinity’s new Cut the Rent group will begin early next week to canvass students on withholding rent payments as part of a rent strike. The announcement was made tonight at Cut the Rent’s first meeting, which also saw impassioned speeches from students …” (more)

[Aisling Marren, University Times, 1 October]

“A march organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) to protest the increased costs of attending third-level institutions has been called off due to the adverse weather conditions forecast for the day. Hurricane Lorenzo, a category two hurricane currently situated 3,000 kilometres south west of Ireland, is expected to bring high seas, severe winds and heavy rain from midday on Thursday, when the march is due to take place …” (more)

[Robert Quinn, University Times, 1 October]

“On Thursday, 3rd October the Union of Students in Ireland are hosting the National Demonstration to Break the Barriers to higher education. Currently, some of the barriers to education include: Ireland has the second-highest fees in the EU [will be the highest after Brexit]; …” (more)

[USI, 30 September]

“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) may lead a rent strike in the future to protest the costs of Ireland’s student accommodation, according to President Lorna Fitzpatrick. In an interview with Hot Press magazine, when asked her about an article in The University Times calling for student-led rent strikes, Fitzpatrick said that ‘there’s nothing ruled out’ …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 25 September]

“Students are being used as pawns in a university’s row with the Government over the effect of insufficient funding on international rankings, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has claimed. USI president Lorna Fitzpatrick said third-level education is underfunded and colleges are forced to compete with each other for project-based funding …” (more)

[Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times, 23 September]

“Despite an increasing number of students in higher education, and the rising cost of student accommodation, the number of students eligible for SUSI grants has fallen by six per cent over the past three years. RTÉ this morning reported that SUSI statistics show that 80,000 students availed of the grant last year, down from 85,000 in 2015 …” (more)

[Robert Quinn, University Times, 13 September]

“The grant provided by the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) does not cover even half of the cost of accommodation in Ireland’s major cities, a committee has heard. The SUSI grant, which provides funding to third-level students for fees and maintenance, also fails to reflect the cost of living, particularly for housing …” (more)

[Cate McCurry, Belfast Telegraph, 12 September]