The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) will lobby the government to introduce free public transport for students, after its national congress voted today in favour of a motion to reduce and ultimately abolish public transport costs for students.
Delegates at USI’s congress voted for a motion that said “transport is another cost we need to reduce for students”.
It was proposed by Craig McHugh, USI’s vice-president for the Dublin Region, who said that “public transport, when it is available, is expensive and in some cases unreliable”.
Proponents for the motion said that the increasing costs of education – in the form of “extortionate fees” and “the huge costs of accommodation” – mean that many students are struggling to finance their education. “Transport is another cost we need to reduce for students”, the motion stated.
McHugh also underlined the environmental benefits of improving access to public transport. He said that reducing costs of public transport for students was in line with Ireland’s commitment to the European Union to reduce carbon emissions. McHugh argued that investment in “green infrastructure” would also help Ireland “dig our way out of the looming recession”.
The motion was opposed by Lesley Barrett, vice-president for welfare and equality for Technological University Dublin Students’ Union (TUDSU) , who said that although she agreed with the “principle of the motion” she did not think it was feasible due to the poor infrastructure currently in place. Barrett said that the USI should “be careful what battles we pick”.
Sorcha Ní Chongaile, Dublin City University Students’ Union Irish officer, suggested that the mandate be broadened.
In response, McHugh said that USI is “a student organisation fighting for students”. He said that although the USI should express solidarity with people who aren’t in that catchment, the organisation’s responsibility is to lobby on behalf of students.
USI President Lorna Fitzpatrick said, in summation, that she agreed that transport infrastructure needed to be improved but that “USI has loads of other policies around public transport so I’m just trying to reference that this isn’t the only policy we have on it”.
“Student message needs to be put at the forefront of what we do”, she added.
During the general election in January, USI’s manifesto advocated for free public transport for students. The move was part of the organisation’s general push to urge the new government to create a more accessible third-level education sector.
