“Cost is a barrier to safe sex” says USI The Union of Students in Ireland has welcomed today’s announcement by Minister for Health Simon Harris that barriers to accessing contraception will be reviewed by a ‘rapid’ working group. USI president Síona Cahill reacted to the news, saying: “The Oireachtas committee on the eighth amendment was clear that access to contraception needed to be immediately reviewed, particularly regarding cost. Students as a cohort have already been failed by a lack of sexual health education at post-primary level, and we are still being failed when it comes to […]
[…]should make sure to get theirs in early.” “The last thing you want is to be without a grant or news of your grant come September because you didn’t apply on time” she stated. She also had advice for students who were having difficulty in their application process, “If you are struggling with the application call into your Students’ Union or call the SUSI helpline. There are people there to help if you are having any […]
[…]decision to return the €25m withheld from colleges in the 2013 and 2014 budgets is good news for education – but represents a drop in the ocean of required investment for third level education – which will experience a 1% cut in wage related and non-wage related expenditures. However, less positive in the budget for students is the decision to stick by pre-planned increases in the student contribution fee – a major increase in the cost of college, on top of already historically high accommodation rental prices. USI welcomes announcements on provisions to build more housing, which should in due […]
[…]of the majority of staff and students at Trinity College. A recent poll carried out by Trinity News showed 76 per cent of students agree they have been effective. Protests that the college deem to be in line with their ‘rules’ would not work. That is not real protest. Through the fine and ongoing threats of more fines or exclusions from the college, management is punishing students for caring about the university’s complicity in genocide and about current and future students who cannot afford to pay high rents or more fees and are essentially being sent the message that third-level […]
Following from today’s news of a young female student reporting an alleged rape to the Gardai,USI (Union of Students in Ireland) and the Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) want to remind people never to be afraid to report incidents to the Gardai, no matter what the circumstances. Denise McCarthy Deputy President/VP Welfare USI said: ‘Having sex with someone who cannot consent, because they are too drunk or are in fear, is rape. USI’s recent ‘Say Something’ study showed victims do not report incidents of sexual violence because they thought that they would be blamed for what happened (22 per cent). Additionally, in over […]
