Up to 200 students held an angry demonstration outside the Dáil tonight ahead of tomorrow's budget.
The newly-formed Education Is Not For Sale group of unions representing teachers and students called for more funding for the primary, secondary and third-level sectors.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said it would resist all attempts to bring back third-level fees or to "privatise" Irish education.
"The Irish education system will not be chopped up and sold off to the highest bidder," USI president Mr Ben Archibald said. "We are being failed by the Government."
Students carried placards saying: "This Government Is Pants" and "Bertie - Must Try Harder".
Speakers at the protest on Molesworth Street cited a recent OECD report which said Ireland lagged behind other countries on education spending when compared with the national income.