USI launches its #MakeASmartVote road show, visiting 16 college campuses across Ireland encouraging Students to Vote

Feb 15, 2016 | Uncategorized

Repro Free: 15/02/2016 Memebers of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) are taking to the road for two weeks to encourage students to vote in the upcoming General Election. Partnered with smartvote.ie, USI are empowering and educating it's membership and the 80,000 newly registered voting bloc on where each party stands on issues like fees, grants, student accommodation and repeal the 8th. Picture Andres Poveda

The Union of Students in Ireland launched its #MakeASmartVote road show this morning outside Trinity College at 9am and will visit a total of 16 college campuses between now and the 25th February before the general election, encouraging students to vote and telling them what the main parties are promising students and young people in their manifestos, and urging them to vote for a party that prioritises education. The road show will visit all major colleges over the next ten days, including NUIG, UCC, DCU and Maynooth.

Repro Free: 15/02/2016 Colm Ó'Néill and Cian Power of The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) are pixrured as the USI announce they are taking to the road for two weeks to encourage students to vote in the upcoming General Election. Partnered with smartvote.ie, USI are empowering and educating it's membership and the 80,000 newly registered voting bloc on where each party stands on issues like fees, grants, student accommodation and repeal the 8th. Picture Andres Poveda

“Young people in Ireland understand that their vote is their voice. We are engaging with young people through social media and on our road shows, encouraging them to use their vote wisely.” Kevin Donoghue, President of the Union of Students in Ireland, said, “We expect to see a huge percentage of students voting in the General Election. Irish students have experienced the positive effects of using their vote during the Marriage Referendum and since then have become extremely politically aware with a real hunger for progression and change.”

On Monday 15th USI will visit Trinity and Maynooth University. On Tuesday 16th they will visit Athlone and DKIT. On Wednesday 17th they will visit Sligo and LYIT. On Thursday 18th they will visit GMIT and NUIG. On Monday 22nd they will visit Tralee and Waterford. On Tuesday 23rd they will visit UCC and CIT. On Wednesday 24th USI will visit DCU, and on Thursday 25th they will visit DIT, IADT and ITT.

Repro Free: 15/02/2016 Memebers of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) are taking to the road for two weeks to encourage students to vote in the upcoming General Election. Partnered with smartvote.ie, USI are empowering and educating it's membership and the 80,000 newly registered voting bloc on where each party stands on issues like fees, grants, student accommodation and repeal the 8th. Picture Andres Poveda

“A voting group of people is an empowered group of people and it is extremely important for USI to empower students.” Donoghue said, “We hope that young people across Ireland will engage with this General Election by using their vote and having their voice heard. The main concerns of students across Ireland are student support – an increase in the maintenance grants and a reduction in the registration fee – and that a loan scheme is not brought in to replace the grant scheme.”