Towards the end of 2002, Noel Dempsey, then Minister for Education in the Fianna Fail led government, raised the prospect of the re-introduction of full fees. In propaganda that has been imitated by current Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe, he claimed that these would only be “for the rich.” Over the next six months, he faced a growing student movement across the country – for example, he was blockaded into a new building which he came to open in UCD by 600 students and tens of thousands protested across the country. The threat of fees was withdrawn in the face of that student movement and because the PDs opportunistically opposed fees to protect their electoral base.
Although the government subsequently increased registration fees significantly, this is rightly remembered as an important victory for the student movement. Important lessons can be drawn by students wanting to fight fees now from the campaign waged in 2002-2003.
The similarity of rhetoric of the government is striking, based around the empty talk of the rich being made to pay. This is rightly exposed by asking when has this government ever taken on the rich? 10 of the richest 20 people in Ireland pay no tax whatsoever. Ireland has the lowest corporation tax in Europe. The private second level schools, which Batt O’Keeffe claims to be introducing fees to cut across, are subsidised by the government on a yearly basis by €80 million. This government is a pro-rich government that wouldn’t ever dream of making them pay for anything.
Now, as was the case in 2003, talk of making the rich pay is only a smokescreen. The government wants to introduce fees for as wide a layer of students as is possible. It is a classic case of a “thin edge of a wedge”, they will be introduced at a certain level and then if they get away with that, increase them inexorably like the bin tax. It is part of an agenda of reducing the responsibility of the state to provide public services and moving towards a completely privatised system of education.
One important difference exists between now and 2003 – we are now entering a severe recession. This doesn’t mean that the argument for fees is any stronger – the rich should pay through central progressive taxation rather than blocking access to education through fees. But it does mean that the government is likely to be even more determined to ram through fees to generate revenue.
It is this serious approach by the government that the student movement needs to prepare for and respond to. The traditional approach of media stunts, photo opportunities and one or two demonstrations simply will not be enough to defeat this government. They will not be lobbied or persuaded to back off – they will have to be forced to back off by the development of a student movement tens of thousands strong, making links with college workers and school students and prepared to fight all the way.
Such a movement can’t be built from the top down by a few full time Students’ Union officers. It needs to really involve ordinary students, not just as foot soldiers coming to protests, but as activists making decisions in, and building a real grassroots campaign.
In UCD in 2002/2003, a grassroots campaign called the Campaign for Free Education involved hundreds of students in active involvement in building a movement to defeat fees. Any time a government TD or Minister came to campus they were met with a militant protest of hundreds on the principle that if they tried to block our access to college, we’d block theirs! We also participated in and helped build demonstrations of thousands in the city centre. Protests, occupations, blockades and strikes were all part of our arsenal to take on the government.
A similar grassroots movement now needs to be built across the country. Student activists in UCD have launched the FEE (Free Education for Everyone) campaign and are seeking to make links with others across the country. An active alliance of students across the country, school students and college workers needs to be forged to defeat this government’s plans.
Firstly, a blitz campaign of information – exposing the government’s lies about only the rich having to pay and encouraging everyone to get involved – is necessary. This could mean regular “lecture addressing”, explaining the issues, information stands and leafleting. Secondly, a real attempt has to be made to draw as many students as possible into an active campaign – mass meetings of students to discuss the issues could be called, which democratically agree the way forward for the campaign. Thirdly, real links should be made with the trade unions and workers on campus who have real power and with school students who will be directly affected.
Finally, the campaign needs to ramp up activity against fees in a big way. The campuses across the country should become a battleground against fees – with banners and activity on a constant basis, raising awareness. Any time a government TD comes on campus, they should be met by ferocious opposition of hundreds, if not thousands. The brilliant example of the demonstration of thousands in Galway, linking up with other colleges, should be repeated, but with an even higher attendance target. That can be achieved by having ordinary students campaigning for it in a real way, mobilising their friends and classes to come out.
These activities are only the starting point of building the necessary national movement against fees. By really involving students in the campaign and being prepared to engage in militant mass protest, this government can be knocked back and fees can be defeated.
