12th March 2003

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Ferris Meets With Kerry USI Leaders

Martin Ferris, the Sinn Fein TD for Kerry North, met with Union of Students of Ireland leaders in Dublin today to discuss the ongoing campaign against the reintroduction of Third Level fees as well as for the strengthening of the current system of grants and the provision of state funded student accommodation. Deputy Ferris pledged his and Sinn Fein's continued support for the USI on these issues.

Deputy Ferris said;

``Having received dozens of representations on this issue from students within my own constituency, I am well aware of the level of anger among students and their families. It is typical of this Government that as soon as the economic and fiscal climate changes that they attempt to pay their way out of the crisis by attacking basic social provision.

``Third level education is not the preserve of the wealthy in our society and to attempt, as some Government spokespersons have, to pretend that only the wealthy will be effected by any changes is cynical in the extreme. Myself and my party will continue to oppose any retrograde changes proposed by the Government and to raise these issues in the Dáil as well as continuing to support the students' campaign outside''.

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