Dan O'Loughlin, University College Cork:"I wouldn't be in college if there were fees. As it is, I have to pay €5,000 for accommodation. I'm on the lower end of a grant, my mother is out of a job and we simply can't afford college. Bringing back fees would put an end to my career plans. I have two jobs, I get taxed on both of them and I still struggle to afford college. I'm only here because of free fees."
Jelena McDonagh, Galway Mayo IT
"We have heard a lot in college recently about fees and graduation taxes and it's just not fair. It would nearly make you want to drop out and not graduate at all. If they brought back fees I just wouldn't be able to go to college. I think I'd be following Dell over to Poland basically."
Derek Kelly, Waterford IT
"I'm here to protest because if fees are brought in I won't get a chance to start second year of college at all and I'll have to draw the dole . . . Emigration is out of the picture as well because you
need money to do that and I don't have it. All my friends from home and in college are in the same
position. Already when you pay for food, expenses and accommodation you're looking at €10,000 a year."
Tríona Ní Dhuibhir, NUI Galway
"Bringing back fees is not going to do the economy any good. A lot of people are only able to go
to third level because it is free and it would mean that a lot of them wouldn't even be able to continue their courses. I'm in first year, my sister is as well and my brother is two years behind us. That would mean my parents would have three of us in college at the same time. It's a lot of expenses already for them to cover."
Jane O'Malley, DIT Cathal Brugha Street
"I did a post Leaving Cert course to get into DIT, so this is my second course and if I'm to take it
on for four years with fees it would be impossible for me. I'm going to London in May for my Erasmus and I won't even be here for the full year but I would still have to pay the full amount of fees which is far too much for spending three months in college here. I won't pay it."