25th October 2007

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Sabbatical officers from the University of Ulster Students’ Union lobbied MLA’s at Stormont this week to abolish tuition fees in Northern Ireland. 

The delegation met members of the Department of Education and Learning (DEL) Committee, to urge them to take the lead from the Scottish Executive who abolished tuition fees earlier this year. 

Dannie O’Connor, Overall President, University of Ulster Students’ Union said: “Our meeting was an important step in our ongoing campaign against tuition fees.  The new £3,000 per year fees are acting as a barrier, preventing young people from disadvantaged backgrounds going on to university for fear of getting into debt.  The Northern Ireland Assembly have it in their power to abolish tuition fees as the Executive has done in Scotland. 

“Lobbying local government is one of the ways we are fighting against tuition fees. Education should be based on the ability to learn, not whether you have the ability to pay.  We will continue to lobby the Northern Ireland Executive and network with key government representatives until tuition fees in Northern Ireland are abolished.” 

The Students’ Union along with the National Union of Students - Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI) has organised a demonstration at Stormont on Monday 19 November against tuition fees.

The Students’ Union will be providing transport from each of the campuses to Stormont.   Our students will be demonstrating and fighting for:  

• Free education
• An independent review into Higher Education funding
• Retain the cap
• Raise repayment level of student loans to £23,000
• Seek the lowest combined household level to be raised to £25,000

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter