Síona Cahill appointed new Union of Students in Ireland President
The current Deputy President of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has been appointed President for the 2018-19 term at the annual Congress in Galway.
Síona Cahill, 25, won the election and is currently the Vice President for Equality and Citizenship as well as Deputy President.
The Maynooth University student has previously served two terms as Maynooth's Students’ Union Vice President for Welfare and Equality.
After being announced as the new President, the Longford native stated: "In 2018-2019, students will be a force to be reckoned with in the battle ongoing about the future and current funding of higher level education in Ireland.
It’s time the Oireachtas reveal which model they recommend before our entire educational landscape collapses. With the Technological Universities enshrined into law, we must protect Students’ Unions and their ethos by working closely with allies in other unions. At all levels of higher education, we must ensure students are at the centre of decision making, and we must resist absolutely the commodification of education in Ireland.
"The housing crisis is now rumbling into a rental crisis - pricing students out of accommodation," said Ms Cahill.
"Students are waiting up to 6 weeks to maybe see a counsellor on campus. It is the very basis of our movement that we create the space to criticise and improve the systems we interact with as students.
"This will be a core battle into next year, and I am committed to it."
Ms Cahill added that she looks forward to working with Ireland's students and that "come July 1 I will be reaching out to organisations and policy makers who share our goals.
"More importantly, I want to reach out to those who do not share our vision, yet, for an accessible education system in a bid to bring people on side."
The USI represents over 374,000 students across Ireland.
- President - Síona Cahill (Originally Maynooth Students’ Union, presently USI Officer Board)
- Vice President for Campaigns - Michelle Byrne (Originally Waterford IT Students’ Union, presently USI Officer Board)
- Vice President for Academic Affairs - Oisín Hassan (Originally Queens University Belfast Students’ Union, presently USI Officer Board)
- Vice President for Welfare - Damien McClean (TCD Students’ Union)
- Vice President for Equality and Citizenship - Aisling Cusack (Originally IT Tallaght Students’ Union, presently USI Officer Board)
- Vice President for the Border, Midland and Western Region - Barry Clohessy (IT Sligo Students’ Union)
- Vice President for the Southern Region - Lorna Fitzpatrick (IT Carlow Students’ Union)
- Vice President for the Dublin Region - Colm O’Halloran (Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union)
- Vice President for the Irish Language - Aoife Deasy (Saint Angela’s College Sligo Students’ Union)
