The Union of Students in Ireland urges all Senators to support a motion aimed at securing the rights of PhD researchers, including addressing precarious contracts and proving a living wage for all involved in teaching and research in higher education institutions. USI welcomes and supports the motion tabled by Senators Alice-Mary Higgins, Michael McDowell, and Rónán Mullen, which comes before Seanad Eireann at 8pm this evening (Wednesday, May 24). USI believes the motion addresses many of the key problems currently facing PhD researchers, including recognising PhD researchers as employees so they are entitled to employment rights and protections. The motion also lines […]
The Union of Students in Ireland stands firmly with the Palestinian people on the 75th anniversary of the Nakba and reiterates its commitment to highlighting the systematic abuses faced by Palestinians at the hands of Israel. Today, May 15, is the anniversary of the Nakba, or ‘the Catastrophe,’ where Palestinians were expelled from their historic and ancestral land. Since then, ongoing actions have created over eight million refugees and over 800,000 internally displaced people through territorial fragmentation; segregation and control; dispossession of land and property; and denial of economic and social rights. The student movement has historically […]
USI Vice President for Postgraduate Affairs Waqar Ahmed presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science for pre-legislative scrutiny of the Research and Innovation Bill 2023 on Tuesday, 9 May 2023. Opening Statement I thank the committee and the Chair for the invitation to participate today. I am the vice president for postgraduate affairs at the Union of Students in Ireland, which is the representative body of students for third level education in Ireland. The research and innovation Bill is being discussed at a time when 50% of the Irish academic workforce is on […]
This year more than previous years we have heard of a huge uptake in the amount of people living in “digs” or owner-occupied homes, due to the housing crisis and the availability of a tax relief implemented by the government. The aim of this survey is to see what kind of situations people living in digs are facing, how “digs” has changed in the past few years, and how digs can can be improved. USI needs this information, so we know what to lobby for and have an evidence base for what is needed in future legislation and protections for […]
The Union of Students in Ireland is dismayed at yesterday’s statement by the National Women’s Council of Ireland on the killing of Geila Ibram in Limerick last week. USI was horrified at the awful killing of 27-year-old Geila and offer our sympathies to her young children, family and friends, and is calling for government to introduce better laws to protect sex workers and prevent further such tragedies. At USI Comhdháil last week, delegates voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion supporting the decriminalisation of sex work and to working with sex workers and sex worker-led organisations to improve the lives […]
