UCCSU Protest Ruairi Quinn's Campus Visit | Audrey Ellard Walsh

A small group of UCC students protested on the Quad yesterday in response to Ruairi Quinn's visit to campus.Students' Union Deputy President Annie Hoey spoke to the media about the realities facing third level students."For some students, it is now a choice between paying the rent or being able to eat."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBiqyVF_X2E&feature=youtu.beThe Education Minister, who was in UCC to open a conference on religion in education, took time to answer questions on the upcoming budget and what it may mean for students.While an actual number for the cuts required has not been revealed yet it is believed to range from €44million up to €100million."Because the budget is occurring on the 15th of October as distinct from the first Monday in December, the quarterly figures on statistics are not yet available to us. We will have clarity in the next four to five weeks."Quinn defended the government's action in relation to third level education funding."Last year we increasesd the welfare funding of the HEA to colleges. Secondly we have changed the administration in the way that SUSI is operated and so far that seems to be much more satisfactory than before but it's early days yet. There is certainty in relation to the student registration charge which in two years time will finish out at €3000 which is far less than the £3500 in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom and we are trying to look at where we can make savings and economies of scale so that we can put higher education finance on a sound basis."The fact remains that numbers need to be shaved and answering a question on the protesters fears of looming cuts, Mr Quinn stated; "Look we're all worries, every household is worried by the situation because the economy is not out of the woods yet."He would not be drawn on specifics saying  "I don't want to frighten any body therefore I am not going to answer individual questions because the tentative answer to a question becomes a forecast that's going to happen."Ms. Hoey encouraged more students to become vocal about the issue;"Students should be concerned because if people don't stand up and speak out then there wont be any students left. Student need government support, students need their government to want them to go to college and want them to get an education and if students don't stand up for their right to get an education then the government aren't going to do it for them."

 Photos by Audrey Ellard Walsh, video by Robert O'Sullivan