Students have been urged to make sure they are registered to vote in the forthcoming general election and to let their local politicians know they are strongly opposed to planned increases in university registration fees.
The call came at a rally in Cork this afternoon where around 1,200 students from University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology braved icy winds and freezing temperatures to express their opposition to the planned increases.
UCC students union president, Keith O'Brien told a rally on the Grand Parade that it was unacceptable that students are being made to pay through increase registration fees and reduced tuition for mistakes made by the Fianna Fail/Green Party coalition government.
"Do not ever forget the lies and the betrayal and the mistreatment of this country by this government," said Mr O'Brien as he urged students to also oppose social welfare cuts and work to build a better fairer and more equal society.
USI president Gary Redmond said any increase in registration fees would result in some students having to give up their third level education which would do nothing to help Ireland develop as a smart economy.
"The latest indication is that it's going to go up by €500 but we're still looking at a cut in the grant and certainly €500 is too much, students are already struggling to pay €1,500...any increase in the registration fee will simply lead to students dropping out," he said.
The rally, which began with students from CIT marching from Bishopstown in along the Western Road where they were joined by UCC students and then along the quays and down Patrick Street, passed off without incident.
Among those who marched in support of the students were local members of the Socialist Party including Cllr Mick Barry who along with 100 members of the Social Welfare Defenders Group had earlier occupied Anglo Irish Bank branch in the city for 30 minutes.