Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I have just come from Trinity College where there were thousands of students, postgraduates and staff members in one of the biggest protests I have seen there for many years. The protest is part of the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, national walkout. There are similar turnouts across the country. To be honest, students do not accept that the Government did anything significant for them in the budget. They are absolutely furious at the extent of fees, student poverty and the student accommodation crisis. They are insulted by the €500 given to some PhD students when researchers are working for less than a minimum wage and paying enormous fees. The list goes on. Something needs to be done in addition to what was done in the budget. The Government needs to get rid of the student contribution fee, address the student accommodation crisis and help PhD and postgraduate students.

See this speech in context