Free Education for Everyone
Encyclopedia
Free Education for Everyone (FEE) is an Irish
student campaign group which was set up in September 2008 in University College Dublin
(UCD) to fight the proposed re-introduction of university fees. FEE is active in all of Ireland's main universities, including University of Limerick
(UL), University College Dublin
(UCD), Trinity College, Dublin
(TCD), NUI Maynooth
(NUIM), University College Cork (UCC) and NUI Galway
(NUIG). It has recently grown in Northern Ireland as well, with a group at Queen's University Belfast, and a broad group in Derry which is not affiliated to any specific university.
Since its formation the group's activists have organised mass protests (in conjunction with the Union of Students in Ireland
or USI), but it is mainly known for its occupations of government constituency offices and blockades against government ministers and of government buildings. Politicians such as the former Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
, and Ministers Batt O'Keeffe
, Éamon Ó Cuív
, Brian Lenihan
and his brother Conor Lenihan
have all been targeted, with NUI Galway and UCD having the most widely reported rate of activism against visiting Ministers.
, Batt O'Keeffe
indicated that fees for university students were back on the agenda in a move which contravened prior government policy. With university presidents putting pressure on the government to approve this proposal, the Minister for Finance
, Brian Lenihan
announced an increase in the annual college registration fee by €600 on budget day, 14 October 2008. The Union of Students in Ireland
(USI), in co-ordination with the fledgling FEE, arranged a mass protest in response to claims that any increase in tuition fees would prevent many from attending college.
Since this initial protest, a number of government ministers have encountered hostility from students whilst visiting campuses at UCD and NUIG. Three members of FEE were arrested for breaches of the peace following two minor scuffles as 100 students took part in a banner-bearing protest at the Clinton Auditorium on the Belfield campus of UCD on 20 October 2008. The three were later released without charge. Brian Lenihan was to chair a function at the Institute but met with a blockade as students responded to the proposed barrier to their education by creating a physical barrier of their own against the Minister. On the evening of 12 November 2008, FEE activists attempted to blockade Minister of State, Conor Lenihan
(a brother of Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan) from his visit to University College Dublin, in protest at the proposed re-introduction of university fees.
In a more serious incident on 9 December 2008, Eamon O'Cuiv was accused of "manhandling" a student activist at NUI Galway after claiming that his secretary was being "squashed up against the wall with students kicking her and one of them waving a big stick at her". The student has said he was on the opposing side of a railing and photographic evidence has proven this to be the case, with one photo clearly showing the Minister grappling the student.
A visit by Bertie Ahern
to NUI Galway on 2 February 2009 was disrupted by FEE activists, forcing the former Taoiseach
to cancel a scheduled lecture on the campus. There were scuffles with gardaí as Ahern was blocked from entering the college grounds and booed by a group of FEE activists and other NUIG students. One man was arrested but later released.
on Kildare Street
. Despite extreme weather conditions which caused widespread traffic disruption across Ireland that week, 15,000 students were involved.
in Lucan, as part of a national day of protest across the country. The occupation lasted for about four hours, and the activists were removed when the Gardai removed the barricaded door. The "Lucan 11" were arrested but not charged for the incident. On the same day, over 20 FEE (Free Education for Everyone ) activists in Cork occupied a room in the President of UCC's office for over an hour before being removed by the Garda, and almost 20 students staged an in-house protest at the constituency office of Eamon O Cuib in Galway for over an hour and a half.
, Phantom FM
and FM104
, while also making it online and into the next days editions of many papers including the Irish Independent.
The students stayed inside the Department building for over 2 and a half hours. No arrests were made in the end and the group left of their own free will, after handing in a letter to the Department. A banner proclaiming 'UCD AGAINST FEES!' was hung over the stairs inside the building, while outside the NUIM banner read 'EDUCATION NOT EMIGRATION'.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
student campaign group which was set up in September 2008 in University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
(UCD) to fight the proposed re-introduction of university fees. FEE is active in all of Ireland's main universities, including University of Limerick
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
(UL), University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
(UCD), Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
(TCD), NUI Maynooth
National University of Ireland, Maynooth
The National University of Ireland, Maynooth , was founded by the Universities Act, 1997 as a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. It is Ireland's second oldest university, having been formed from St Patrick's College, Maynooth, itself founded in 1795.The university is...
(NUIM), University College Cork (UCC) and NUI Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
(NUIG). It has recently grown in Northern Ireland as well, with a group at Queen's University Belfast, and a broad group in Derry which is not affiliated to any specific university.
Since its formation the group's activists have organised mass protests (in conjunction with the Union of Students in Ireland
Union of Students in Ireland
The Union of Students in Ireland is the national representative body for third-level students' unions in Ireland. The Union of Students in Ireland is the sole national representative body for students in Ireland but does not represent students from two of the seven Irish Universities, namely...
or USI), but it is mainly known for its occupations of government constituency offices and blockades against government ministers and of government buildings. Politicians such as the former Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
, and Ministers Batt O'Keeffe
Batt O'Keeffe
Bartholomew "Batt" O'Keeffe is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála and Senator from 1989 to 2011. He also served as Minister for Education and Science and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation .-Early and personal life:O'Keeffe was born in Cullen, County...
, Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 1992 and was previously a member of Seanad Éireann.-Early life:...
, Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
and his brother Conor Lenihan
Conor Lenihan
Conor Lenihan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency from 1997 to 2011, and served as a Minister of State from 2004 to 2011. He then moved to Moscow.-Biography:...
have all been targeted, with NUI Galway and UCD having the most widely reported rate of activism against visiting Ministers.
Background
On 11 August 2008, Ireland's Minister for Education and ScienceMinister for Education and Science (Ireland)
The Minister for Education and Skills is the senior minister at the Department of Education and Skills in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Education and Skills is Ruairi Quinn, TD...
, Batt O'Keeffe
Batt O'Keeffe
Bartholomew "Batt" O'Keeffe is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála and Senator from 1989 to 2011. He also served as Minister for Education and Science and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation .-Early and personal life:O'Keeffe was born in Cullen, County...
indicated that fees for university students were back on the agenda in a move which contravened prior government policy. With university presidents putting pressure on the government to approve this proposal, the Minister for Finance
Minister for Finance (Ireland)
The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
, Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
announced an increase in the annual college registration fee by €600 on budget day, 14 October 2008. The Union of Students in Ireland
Union of Students in Ireland
The Union of Students in Ireland is the national representative body for third-level students' unions in Ireland. The Union of Students in Ireland is the sole national representative body for students in Ireland but does not represent students from two of the seven Irish Universities, namely...
(USI), in co-ordination with the fledgling FEE, arranged a mass protest in response to claims that any increase in tuition fees would prevent many from attending college.
University blockades
Conor Lenihan
Conor Lenihan is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency from 1997 to 2011, and served as a Minister of State from 2004 to 2011. He then moved to Moscow.-Biography:...
(a brother of Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan) from his visit to University College Dublin, in protest at the proposed re-introduction of university fees.
In a more serious incident on 9 December 2008, Eamon O'Cuiv was accused of "manhandling" a student activist at NUI Galway after claiming that his secretary was being "squashed up against the wall with students kicking her and one of them waving a big stick at her". The student has said he was on the opposing side of a railing and photographic evidence has proven this to be the case, with one photo clearly showing the Minister grappling the student.
A visit by Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
to NUI Galway on 2 February 2009 was disrupted by FEE activists, forcing the former Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
to cancel a scheduled lecture on the campus. There were scuffles with gardaí as Ahern was blocked from entering the college grounds and booed by a group of FEE activists and other NUIG students. One man was arrested but later released.
February 2009 protest
FEE and the USI plotted a further major demonstration in Dublin for 4 February 2009 to protest against the proposed move to reintroduce third-level fees, following comments from Batt O'Keeffe which suggested he would like to do so. FEE produced 20,000 leaflets to promote this protest which their activists distributed across the country. The USI argued that if it were to happen then poorer people would be prevented from attending college and that in turn would damage Ireland's knowledge-based economy. The protest gathered at Parnell Square at 13:30 before marching to Leinster HouseLeinster House
Leinster House is the name of the building housing the Oireachtas, the national parliament of Ireland.Leinster House was originally the ducal palace of the Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it is a complex of buildings, of which the former ducal palace is the core, which house Oireachtas Éireann, its...
on Kildare Street
Kildare Street
Kildare Street is a well-known street in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland close to the principal shopping area of Grafton Street and Dawson Street, to which it is joined by Molesworth Street. Some Irish government departments have their offices on this street but it is most famous for Leinster...
. Despite extreme weather conditions which caused widespread traffic disruption across Ireland that week, 15,000 students were involved.
Blockade at Paul Gogarty's Office
On 4 December 2008, eleven FEE Activists from UCD occupied the office of the Green Party Spokesperson on Education Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty
Paul Nicholas Gogarty is a former Irish Green Party politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid West constituency from 2002 to 2011. He currently works as a media commentator and journalist.-Early and private life:...
in Lucan, as part of a national day of protest across the country. The occupation lasted for about four hours, and the activists were removed when the Gardai removed the barricaded door. The "Lucan 11" were arrested but not charged for the incident. On the same day, over 20 FEE (Free Education for Everyone ) activists in Cork occupied a room in the President of UCC's office for over an hour before being removed by the Garda, and almost 20 students staged an in-house protest at the constituency office of Eamon O Cuib in Galway for over an hour and a half.
Referenda
In March 2009 the campaign's focus switched towards organising a national one day shutdown of third level education. In UCD a referendum was organised by F.E.E calling on the Students Union to organised a one-day shutdown of the college and campaign for a national shutdown which was passed by 83% of the vote (over 4000 students). Similar referendums were organised around the country.Blockade at the Department of Finance
On 16 April, students from both the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM) and University College Dublin (UCD) branches of FEE staged a direct action protest at the Department of Finance. While over 25 students held a demonstration outside the Department, another 15 were inside the Department. This achieved mass-media coverage on radio at the time, being picked up by Newstalk, Q102Q102
Q102 is a commercial radio station in Dublin, owned by UTV Radio. It broadcasts on 102.2 MHz FM. The station is licensed to target the 35+ age group, and must provide hourly news, as well as current events programming....
, Phantom FM
Phantom FM
Phantom 105.2 is a Dublin based radio station, founded in 1996 as a pirate radio station. Phantom broadcasts under a contract awarded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland ....
and FM104
FM104
FM104 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcast across Dublin, Ireland, on the frequency 104.4 MHz. It is operated by Capital Radio Productions Limited , and is a subsidiary of UTV Radio. The station broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland...
, while also making it online and into the next days editions of many papers including the Irish Independent.
The students stayed inside the Department building for over 2 and a half hours. No arrests were made in the end and the group left of their own free will, after handing in a letter to the Department. A banner proclaiming 'UCD AGAINST FEES!' was hung over the stairs inside the building, while outside the NUIM banner read 'EDUCATION NOT EMIGRATION'.