| Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn |
|
|---|---|
| President | Gary Redmond |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Dublin, Ireland |
| International affiliation | European Students' Union Eurodoc |
| Website | www.usi.ie |
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) (Irish: Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn) is the national representative body for third-level students' unions in Ireland. The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is the sole national representative body for students in Ireland but does not represent students from two of the seven Irish Universities, namely Dublin City University and University of Limerick and also Cork Institute of Technology. Founded in 1959, USI now represents more than 250,000 students in over forty colleges across the island of Ireland.[1] The goal of the USI is to work for rights of students and a fair and equal third level education system in Ireland.
The Union's sovereign body is its Annual Congress, and its executive authority is its National Council, comprising representatives from each member organisation. Members of the Officer Board of USI serve a one year term beginning on July 1. The current President is Gary Redmond.
Many past officers of USI have gone on to prominent positions within Irish society. Past USI presidents includes Chief Justice John L. Murray (1966/67) and broadcaster Joe Duffy (1983-84).
In Northern Ireland, USI jointly operates NUS-USI with the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom, with students being members of both national unions.
USI is member of both European Students' Union and EURODOC and have provided officer-holders in both organisations.
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The Union of Students in Ireland consists of five bodies formed from both elected members to USI and members of the affiliated Student Unions.
Officer Board is a Standing Committee of National Council and is composed of the elected officers of the Union. The board provides day to day leadership to the Union, produces annual plans for, and co-ordinate the work of the Union.
National Council is USI's main executive body consisting of representatives from each college and USI full time and part time officers. It is convened at least four times a year for the purpose of discussing the overall work of the national union.
Regional Conferences are held for the main purpose of electing the regional officer for the region. The regions are autonomous and discuss and debate policy for the region to co-ordinate and direct the work of the officer.
There are three standing conferences held each year with the purpose of electing the part-time officers and to discuss and formulate policy for that brief. The four conferences are: the Irish language conference; the Equality Standing Conference; and the Environmental Awareness conference.
Annual Congress is USI's supreme decision making body which takes place over a 3-4 day period around Easter. All affiliated unions send a number of delegates to attend Congress. The number of delegates each CO sends depends on the number of students at their college. All student unions can submit motions and amendments for Congress.
Congress debates and votes on the various issues and motions submitted by member colleges. It also elects Officer Board for the coming year.
Chief Justice John L. Murray was President in 1966/67 and broadcaster Joe Duffy held the post in 1983-84. Several prominent Irish politicians also started their careers through involvement in USI, including former Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Leader Mark Durkan, Labour Party Leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, Labour Party Teachta Dála Colm Keaveney and Senator Ivana Bacik. Councillors include Fianna Fáil Councillor Malcolm Byrne, Labour Party Councillor Seán Ó hArgáin, Labour Party Councillor Chris Bond Labour Party Councillor Cian O'Callaghan Socialist Party councillor Mick Murphy. Broadcaster Vincent Browne and barristers Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC and Grainne McMorrow SC also held office in the organisation.
Other figures that have been involved in the student movement but did not progress to elected positions in USI include the ninth President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins (President of the Students Union in National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Supreme Court Justice Adrian Hardiman (President of the Students Union in University College Dublin, Independent Senator Ronan Mullen (President of the Students Union in NUI Galway, Socialist Party TD Clare Daly (President of the Students Union in Dublin City University), Paul Murphy MEP (activist in University College Dublin Students Union, and Labour TDs Derek Nolan and Ciara Conway (both Students Union officers in NUI Galway.
| Past Deputy Presidents | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years of office | Name | College | |
| 2011–2012 | Colm Murphy | Waterford Institute of Technology | |
| 2010–2011 | Cónán Ó Broin John Logue |
Trinity College Dublin UCD |
|
| 2009–2010 | Dan O'Neill | University College Dublin | |
| 2008–2009 | Dave Curran | University College Dublin | |
| 2007–2008 | Vacant | ||
| 2006–2007 | Vacant | ||
| 2005–2006 | Ruth Ní Eidhin (until Nov 2005) | Trinity College Dublin | |
| 2004–2005 | Rory Hearne | Trinity College Dublin | |
| 2003–2004 | Gareth Keogh | National College of Ireland | |
| 2002–2003 | Noel Hogan | NUI, Maynooth | |
| 2001–2002 | Ross O'Donoghue | Mary Immaculate College, Limerick | |
| 2000–2001 | Cian O'Callaghan | ||
| 1999–2000 | Julian De Spainn | National University of Ireland, Galway | |
| 1998–1999 | Ronan Emmett | Dublin Institute of Technology | |
| 1997–1998 | Helen Ryan | Dublin Institute of Technology | |
| 1996–1997 | Noeleen Hartigan | University College Dublin | |
| 1995–1996 | Bob Jordan | Dublin Institute of Technology | |
| 1994–1995 | Colm Keaveney | Letterkenny RTC | |
| 1993–1994 | Damian O'Broin | Dublin Institute of Technology | |
| 1992–1993 | Tom Duke | University College Dublin | |
| 1991–1992 | Tom Duke | University College Dublin | |
| 1990–1991 | Maxine Brady | Rupert Stanley College, Belfast | |
| 1989–1990 | Anne Marie Keary | University College, Dublin | |
| 1988–1989 | Garbhan Downey | University College Galway | |
| 1987–1988 | Paul Cavanagh | Queen's University, Belfast | |
| 1986–1987 | Sean O'hArgain | Frobel College | |
| 1985–1986 | Trish Hegarty | Queens University Belfast | |
| 1984–1985 | Paddy O'Donovan | Sligo RTC (Sligo IT) | |
| 1983–1984 | Mark Durkan | Queens University Belfast | |
| 1982–1983 | Mark Durkan | Queens University Belfast | |
| 1981–1982 | Liam Whitelaw | NUU Coleraine | |
| 1980–1981 | Liam Whitelaw | NUU Coleraine | |
| 1979–1980 | Christine Donaghy | St Mary's College, Belfast | |
| 1978–1979 | John Gallagher | Maynooth University | |
| 1977–1978 | Peter Davies | NUU Coleraine | |
| 1976–1977 | Peter McEvoy | QUB | |
| 1975–1976 | Mairtin Ó Siadhail | Carlow RTC | |
| 1974–1975 | Brendan Glynn | UCG | |
| 1973–1974 | Kieran Mulvey | UCD | |
| 1972–1973 | Pearse Reynolds | ||
| 1971–1972 | Paul Tansey | ||
| 1970–1971 | Jim Hamilton | ||
| Current Board (2011–2012) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Time | |||
| Post | Holder | ||
| President | Gary Redmond | ||
| Deputy President | Colm Murphy | ||
| Education Officer | Aengus Ó Maoláin | ||
| Welfare Officer | Scott Ahearn | ||
| Equality Officer | Gerard Gallagher | ||
| Eastern Area Officer | Suzann Tutty | ||
| Western Area Officer | Breffni Gorman | ||
| Southern Area Officer | Kate Acheson | ||
| Northern Area Officer / NUS-USI President | Adrianne Peltz | ||
| Part Time (Paid) | |||
| Post | Holder | ||
| LGBT Rights Officer | Siobhán McGuire | ||
| Part Time (Unpaid) | |||
| Post | Holder | ||
| Irish Language Officer | Peadar de Blúit | ||
| Environment Officer | - | ||
| Postgraduate Officer | - | ||
As part of a restucturing motion passed by Congress 2009, there is now an Equality Campaign Working Group which consists of 4 part time officers in addition to the Equality Officer & LGBT Rights Officer. The part time officers are as follows:
| Equality Campaign Working Group (2011–2012) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Holder | ||
| Disability Rights Officer | Antonia Virovska | ||
| Gender Equality Officer | Tomás Conway | ||
| International Students Officer | Katelyn Sherry | ||
| Mature Students Officer | Patrick Maher | ||
*Equality Working Group is a separate entity to USI Officerboard.
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