Vol. 24 #12 18 Apr. 2023
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Winner: Best Newspaper at the National Student Media Awards 2019
Student Independent News Nuachtán saor in aisce · Vol. 24 Issue 12 · 18 Apr. 2023
Some members of the University of Galway Students’ Union attended this year’s USI Congress. Photo via @uniofgalwaysu on Twitter.
Controversey over low attendance at USI Comhdháil 2023 By Caoimhe Looney There has been some controversy over attendance to the 2023 Union of Students in Ireland Comhdháil. This year’s congress saw quorum being called at the beginning of almost every section, peaking at being called six times on Tuesday 4 April. Delegates in attendance of the Comhdháil have the power to call quorum while motions are being debated, and quorum requires that there are a certain amount of delegates on the floor. However, the controversy occurred due to the failure of many of the quorum counts, which meant that the debating of the motions were delayed. These quorum failures sparked outrage on Twitter from students of the Higher Education Institutes in USI which were not at the Comhdháil, with questions being raised about the importance of USI Comhdháil if voting and debates were being delayed due to a large amount of delegates absence. Although there were some quorum failures, all of the quorum counts passed on the second count, after students had been given more time to enter the floor. The University of Galway were also recipients of three awards. The University
of Galway won best large delegation, LeasUachtarán don Ghaeilge Barry Ó Siochrú won best speaker, and Fionn Connolly Sexton won best speech. There were a large number of motions proposed, and by close on Thursday all of the motions had been debated and either passed, failed, or were sent back to a working group to be improved on.
learning, stop progression and make all education workers completely unnecessary.” A rebuttal to that was that “artificial intelligence is only as smart as the humans who make it and the humans who use it.” Ultimately the motion passed. Other motions that passed were ‘the Living Wage for Students’, ‘Trans Equality Together Coalition’, ‘Reforms for Non-EU Postgraduate Researchers’, and ‘Úsáid do Chúpla Focal’. A breakdown of the motions A motion for a USI Constitutional One of the biggest motions which was Amendment to include the USI Constitute passed on the final day, during emergency in Ulster Scots, in addition to the current motions, was a motion of ‘No Confidence English and Irish. in the Government’, which passed with Many voices were heard on both sides no debate opposing the motion and an of the debate, with delegates in favour overwhelming majority voting in favour. stating that “bringing Ulster Scots into the Other motions that passed was a motion conversation would be really eye opening”, called ‘Save the Night’ proposed by University and “even if it’s a small piece, translating of Galway VP for Welfare Imogen O’Flaherty the Constitution is an important first step.” Falconer, that called for better night life Opposers of the proposal argued that across Ireland with the time of closure for “our Constitution isn’t a way of promoting nightclubs to be extended until 6a.m. languages” and “this isn’t a motion to creAnother successful motion was the ‘Legisla- ate equality and bring people together, it’s tion of Sex Work’, with a delegate speaking in a legal document.” In the end the motion favour of the motion stating that “there should fell and was unsuccessful. be no shame in sex work, and there should Voting also occurred during the Combe no shame in the conversation around it.” hdháil week for next year’s USI Coiste There was great debate over a motion Gnó. University of Galway Student Union about Artificial Intelligence in education, President Sai Gujulla ran for USI President, with the opposition stating that it will “stunt but lost out by four votes to Chris Clifford.