The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) held a press conference on Monday to launch their Student Manifesto, which outlines nearly 50 demands for the government on behalf of students. The manifesto covers what USI President Chris Clifford called the “most pressing issues” for students in 2024. Clifford condemned the lack of student supports brought forth in Budget 2025, saying it demonstrates the “pure lack of interest it [the government] has for supporting the future of this country.” The manifesto comes ahead of a predicted call for a general election.
“If TDs and general election candidates don’t support students and support this manifesto, we definitely will not be supporting them in the ballot box,” Clifford said.
Accommodation
Clifford called accommodation one of two “serious crises” the union is hoping to see addressed by the government. USI Vice President for Campaigns Nathan Murphy said that after looking through eight previous years of USI manifestos“nothing has changed” in regard to the government’s approach to the student accommodation crisis. He called for rights on behalf of digs tenants, referring to digs as a “bandaid” for permanent accommodation and a “precarious situation” for students who live in them.
Murphy also spoke of conversations held between USI and the Minister for Higher Education Patrick O’Donovan, in which the minister indicated that construction of sufficient new beds for students would take five years “even if [he] had all the money.”
The union’s manifesto also demands a rise in the vacant property tax, referencing “160,000 vacant and derelict buildings on the island” as well as a strategic plan for purpose-built student accommodation. The union has asked for a rent cap for student accommodation, calling the current situation “excessively expensive.”
PhD Supports
The union’s manifesto calls for an establishment of a minimum stipend for PhD students, citing their “crucial role in advancing Ireland’s research output.” Clifford urged the government to increase the stipend to be consistent with minimum wage, with a minimum stipend of €28,000 for all PhD students. The union also demanded an increase in supports for international PhD students in regard to visas and Irish Residency Permits (IRPs), requesting that the next government cover costs of IRPs and “provide further support in the visa application process.”
Drug Decriminalisation
Murphy also called for the decriminalisation of drugs. “The current prohibition is outdated, criminalising thousands each year for minor possession while burdening our justice system”, the student manifesto states. The union calls instead for a health-led approach, providing support for people struggling with drug abuse rather than incarcerating them. References were made to the drug policies of Portugal and some U.S. states as possible models for Ireland.
Irish Language Courses
Faye Ní Dhomhnaill, the Students Union President of the University of Galway, called for the government to provide increased courses available through the Irish language in higher education institutes (HEIs). Ní Dhomhnaill stated that the government is “aiming for 20% of the public sector to be able to work through Irish by 2030 but they’re not creating any provisions to provide for that”. When asked which courses should be taught through Irish Ní Dhomhnaill stated that “medicine through Irish, engineering through Irish, science” should be the courses provided for through Irish first.
Ní Dhomhnaill also called for Irish to protect the Irish language from hate speech within the new hate speech bill and to promote the use of spoken Irish in the Dáil.
Free Public Transport
Murphy said that some commuting students spend “up to 600 euro a month on transport alone” and called for free public transport for all students. He cited the transport costs as a knock-on effect of the accommodation crisis, indicating that some commuting students are forced to commute to Dublin from as far as Donegal and Cork due to lack of affordable accommodation in the city.
The manifesto also requests an increase in 24-hour bus routes to prevent students from becoming “stranded with no way of getting home.” In conjunction with the increase of 24-hour routes, USI are demanding a “dedicated police force” to maintain student safety and prevent anti-social behaviour.
Voting Rights for Sixteen Year Olds
Murphy further called for a voter reform which would lower the voting age to 16 and make voter registration automatic. With less than 50 percent of those registered in Ireland participating in local elections, the USI hopes that lowering the voting age will make voting more accessible. “If they have that sense of voting from 16, where it’s a family affair, you’re going out with your family, you’re voting together, then it becomes that thing ingrained in your mind”, Murphy stated. This policy was inspired by those in Austria and Scotland, who changed their voting age to 16. The manifesto argues that people at sixteen have a right to participate in political processes that affect them, namely education, housing, and climate change.
Seanad Reform
Murphy spoke of the union’s call for “total Seanad reform,” which includes a removal of the 11 Taoiseach nominees and a removal of the requirements for voting in the Seanad. He called the requirement to vote for the six University members of the Seanad, which was recently reformed to include graduates of any Designated Institution of Higher Education, “classist” and demanded all citizens be allowed to vote in the Seanad.
Murphy stated that “nothing has improved the past eight years”, despite two student manifestos being published. A student walkout protesting the lack of budget 2025 measures for students has been organised by USI and is set to take place on Thursday. The protest was acknowledged by Vice President of Trinity Orla Sheils in a College wide email sent on Friday. Sheils stated that students absent from class due to the walkout will not be penalised for missing attendance.
