#occupyuniversity working group statement on events at the 16/11/11 USI demonstration
#occupyuniversity working group statement on events at the 16/11/11 USI demonstration:
The #occupyuniversity working group at #occupydamestreet salutes those who took to the streets of Dublin today to protest government attacks on third level education, carried out behalf of financial institutions and wealthy elites.
However we must strongly reject the actions of Union of Students in Ireland stewards this afternoon.
We need a third level education that values democracy and free thought, not privilege and obedience.
In light of this, it is deplorable that Union of Students in Ireland stewards collaborated with Gardaí in restricting the freedom of movement of people, including i) the Free Education for Everyone student campaign group, ii) members of the #occupyuniversity working group and iii)participants in #occupydamestreet carrying the banner of the occupation, who wanted to protest outside the Mount Street headquarters of Fine Gael, the main government party.
Meanwhile, TDs from parties who have participated in imposing odious debts on the public were able to participate unimpeded in a march which was intended to oppose the course of educational austerity pursued by the present government and the previous government.
The Union of Students in Ireland opted not to mobilise secondary school students on such an important occasion. Those presently nearing the end of their secondary education are the ones who will suffer most from the government’s education policies. Their voices should have been heard too.
We thus reaffirm the need for a movement that brings in all those who depend on decent public education for a fulfilled life in a democratic society: the 99%. We do not need members of unions carrying out operations on behalf of the 1%.
We are the 99%. We are all the university.
Discussion
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Comment by: Laim smullen
Nov 21st 2011 at 04:11
Laim smullen
For the talk about “funding” of third level its
actually one of the reliantly small areas of the
budget at 2 billion a year compared with other
areas such as say public sector pay 20 billion,
social warfare at 20 Billion in which part of
that includes the old age pension which is
8 billion and going to keep raising. Since
1966 third level has funded entirely by
that state with the exception of the university
charging for a third the course costs. Its
worth that noting when the issues of fee’s
first emerged in the middle of 2008 the
ITs are opposed or lukewarm.
DIT: fees will not create money for third level
DIT: fees will not create money for third level
The problem with a student loan system is that not so much restricting “Access”
But loans that like housing debt will mushroom to 2 or 3 times the student future
Income it firmly welds Irelands social economy to a low tax model.
Judging by what in this country past and present as regards the banking sector
Such a system is a bad idea.
Tuition Fees may be inevitable….and what would be the harm?
Tuition Fees may be inevitable….and what would be the harm?
All though I agree slightly with poster sonofstan
that there is too people with
Worthless degrees. That is because there too many
people in third level doing both yellow pack courses
in the ITs or high points “Anglo Irish bank” types
arts courses in the universities which lead to no
proper jobs. The best way to make savings in the
budget is to close the Arts course’s and redirect
the money towards courses and apprenticeships
that are necessary and a high learning value.
This country needs more support for apprenticeships
and crafts like Germany, which has a the gold
standard in craft training. Every major town has
a Handworks Council, the equivalent of our
Chamber of Commerce. And Germany recognizes
some 350 trades — including glazing — whereas
Ireland recognizes only 29 trades, not including glazing.
That why Germany is a world leader in specialized
manufacting products such as High quality chainsaws,
Ejector seats for aircraft, oil/mining drill bits,
ball bearings Microscopes nuclear equipment etc.
Germany has less “World Class” Universities Than
France, Britain or the United states. It does not fret
about its University rankings and the only mayor
eurozone country it growing but at 1% annually.
Here some links about class and education in Ireland
Class and education Part 1
Class and education Part 1
http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/
sv2010-10/08-education.html
Class and education Part 2
Class and education Part 2
http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/
sv2010-11/08-education.html
The myth of a middle-class majority
http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/
sv2011-09/02-middle-class.html
But that’s not all check this out
http://www.4thlevelventures.ie/ it’s a hedge fund
to commercialise university research but is doesn’t
mention any where on this website whether
Dolmen Securities paid the universities for
patents and or research development costs. If
anything it looks the university research is given
for free.
Its certainly mentions 20m Start up for companies
it still doesn’t mention about paying For patents
and or research development costs.
Or perhaps didn’t I check out its website properly.
Here is more details on its website
http://www.4thlevelventures.ie/aboutus.html
4th Level Ventures is a €20 million Venture
Capital Fund managed by Dolmen Securities.
Founded in 2002, we are focused exclusively
on investing in companies whose Intellectual
Property arises from third level education
institutional research. We are sector neutral,
our expertise lies in the commercialisation
of technology.
Our primary objective is to commercialise
the business opportunities that arise from
university research. In Ireland, this output
is being boosted by Government investment
of €2.5bln for science research from 2002-2006.
We combine the best of breed partnerships
between business leaders, investors,
universities and financial institutions and
apply the resulting unique expertise to
help build, commercialise and grow the
business opportunities that arise from university research.
A unique aspect of our fund is that we
work on campus with the university commercialisation
teams. We also work with academics at an early
stage to help them evaluate propositions and
make commercial decision
Why this is important is that Ruairi Quinn is
a chairman company 4th Level Ventures
Wht of couse a strong conflict of interest here
and it insist even listed on his website.
al do is on the Dáil register of interests.
We may have our first scandel of The new
incoming governmnt.
My real concern that in time of serve austerity
it looks like state funded university research
worth possibly Billions in commercial values
is given for free since its claims university
research is state funded by the €2.5bln for
science research from 2002-2006.
http://www.deti.ie/press/2004/20040512a.htm
circumlimina.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/labouring-the-point/
http://www.ruairiquinn.ie/?p=95
Commercialise
The most striking entry belonged to Ruairi Quinn,
and is notably absent from the profile on his website.
In the Dáil register, we find the following:
8. Remunerated Position …….
Chair, Fund Advisory Committee: 4th Level
Ventures, 75 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.
4th Level Ventures was a new one on me,
so I took a toodle to Google and found the
following depressing glimpse into the future of education.
The website’s masthead reads “Commercialising
Academic Research”, and the company identifies its role thus:
4th Level Ventures is a €20 million Venture
Capital Fund managed by Dolmen Securities.
Founded in 2002, we are focused exclusively
on investing in companies whose Intellectual
Property arises from third level education
institutional research. We are sector neutral,
our expertise lies in the commercialisation of technology.
Our primary objective is to commercialise
the business opportunities that arise from
university research. In Ireland, this output
is being boosted by Government investment
of €2.5bln for science research from 2002-2006.
Ruairi Quinn is Labour Spokesperson on Education
and Science
Comment by: dmfod
Nov 21st 2011 at 20:11
Agree with this article apart from the dig at ‘members of unions’ at the end, which is stupid given that most of FEE, whose exclusion from the march the article protests, are members of a union - the USI! The problem here, as with all the other unions in this country, is the union leadership, not the general membership.
The actions of the USI leadership, which consists entirely of right wing party hacks was disgraceful, and they should all be sacked for collaborating with the Gardai and right wing parties against the interests of their members.
We need a grassroots movement of union members, secondary school students, staff unions and the rest of the 99% to oppose these cuts. The fees issue should be linked to opposing austerity as a whole, as Occupy Dame Street are rightly doing, rather than treated in isolation as an ‘interest group’ issue and dealt with through insider lobbying by right wing politicians in waiting.