Pre-Budget Lobbying on Student Priorities

Over the last number of weeks, we have been in meetings with both Government and Opposition TDs to discuss students' priorities ahead of the Budget.

We would like to thank the TDs who took the time out of their busy schedules to meet with us and hear some of our finding regards issues such as student accommodation, cost of living, PhD stipends and much more.

Here is who we met...

On Tuesday the 4th of July, we met with Minster Simon Harris (Minster for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Fine Gael) and Deputy Emer Higgins (Fine Gael, UCD GA). We discussed student accommodation as well as issues relating to PhD stipends, the exorbitant fees paid by GEM students, tuition fees and grants.

On Tuesday the 27th of June, we met with The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, and discussed student housing and our findings in the UCDSU Accommodation Report 2023. We would like to thank Minister O’Brien for meeting with us and we hope he takes into consideration the findings from this report.

On Wednesday the 5th of July, we then met TD Ivana Bacik (Leader of the Labour Party) and had very good conversations regarding student issues. We would like to thank Ivana for her time and support of what we are fighting for here in UCDSU.

We also met Deputy Mairéad Farrell (Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Higher Education) earlier that day to discuss similar issues relating to students. Mairéad has been very supportive of our Student Accommodation Report since its release and we look forward to working with her to keep the issue in the spotlight.

Some of the other members of the Government and opposition parties we met included; Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Green Party), Richard Boyd-Barret (People Before Profit), Cian O’Callaghan (Social Democrats), Cathal Crowe (Fianna Fáil), Fiona O’Loughlin (Fianna Fáil), Jim O'Callaghan (Fianna Fáil) and Senator Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fáil).