Hundreds of Dublin students protested today at the increase in registration fees and the possible reintroduction of tuition fees for third-level education.
At lunchtime several hundred students from Trinity College gathered at the college where they listened to speakers from the USI and Trinity law professor Ms Ivana Bacik.
The president of TCD Students' Union, Mr Will Priestley, said: "This and other protests held on local campuses will make an important point to Minister Dempsey - that the student population will not sit idly by and be the victim of a potentially devastating attack on their right to a university education".
Some 1,000 black balloons were released to mark the dissatisfaction felt by students. The students then marched through Dublin city centre.
Later up to 100 students from University College Dublin blocked the southbound lane of the Stillorgan dual carriage way for a time, in protest at the increase in registration fees and the possible re-introduction of tuition fees.