Education
Unfree Citizen1974The Southern state and its partiesPartition and the national questionThe Southern state and its partiesPartition and the national question
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La basic right for all people Attention was focused on the ridiculous education system operated in the twenty-six counties, through the occupation of the Department of Education by fifty students. The department was occupied to protest against a system which heavily discriminates against the working-class student. Education in the twenty-six counties is a privilege benefited by a few. It is the government's The need for grants at all levels of education, has never been more-urgent. When the students occupied the Secretary of the Department's office, they saw on ‘Government Notepaper’ that there is to be a £26million cut-back in educatonal finance.
sought on three oc.asions to meet Dick Burke (Minister for Education) to discuss the urgent problem of properly financing education. On each occasion Burke has Militant action was the only means through which the frustrated students could focus attention on educational discrimination. The fifty students entered the Department of Education despite the efforts of Special Branch man Kennedy (a notorious Republican smashed in the door with pick-axes and arrested all the students. They were taken at various intervals to the Bridewell and charged under the Forcible Entry Act. They were then put in filthy cells and given a mug of water and some bread. Most of the students were bailed out during the night — but ten students were forced to remain over-night as the gardai refused to accept U.S.I. bail for them.
The students appeared in court during the week and the charges against them were dismissed. Public opinion demanded that the students be released. Thousands of students protested against the governments negative policies throughout the country. The fight for equal rights and equal Opportunities will continue.
The use of repressive legislation must be opposed. In 1971 the present Minister for Justice worried that the infamous Forcible Entry Act might be used against people for whom it was not originally intended — the hypocricy of the Coalition government is unlimited. | The Forcible Entry Act is being used against students today — it could be you tormorrow. Come out and fight vicious and repressive legislation. Only through protest and militant action can the government be challenged — and defeated! ET