Meet the candidates for full time positions on SU Exec-Hustings 2010

Hustings 2010 took place on Wednesday March 3rd at 7pm in the Kirwan Theatre. The chair for the evening was Paddy (The housewife's favourite) Duffy who introduced the candidates, gave them a minute to address the audience before putting a series of questions to them on the relevant issues. Questions were then taken from the floor. First to run the gauntlet were the candidates for the position of Vice President/Welfare.

Vice President/Welfare

Emma Conway

The first of two incumbent candidates. Her experience in the position seemed to be behind her realistic goals should she be re-elected. Among them were the building of bike shelters, a bike compound, continuing the good fight against fees and she promised she would call for a reform of the grant system. Later during questions she said much of the job involved dealing with casework. Student accommodation and sub standard conditions in student villages were constantly on her agenda. Having fought for the student assistant fund last year she stressed the importance of helping students in financial difficulties especially those who fall in the 'weird place' just outside of grant qualification.

Christine Fitzgerald

Feels her desire to help people and her former career as a nurse are useful tools for a Welfare Officer. With an M.A. in Health Promotion her main focus seems to be the wellbeing and mental health of students. Among her proposals are programmes such as peer promotion and exam de-stress in an effort to help students avoid getting into difficulties. She sees a need to educate students in how to look for support and proposes existing campaigns need to be evaluated to see are they really effective. On the issue of Rag Week/College Week she feels there needs to be greater promotion to shift the focus away from alcohol.

Brian Grant

Says his 'God I'm a legend' campaign is so not true. His main policy is to socially and actively involve students in clubs and societies as a way to prevent students from becoming isolated and vulnerable, especially first year students. When questioned he admitted that initially the idea of running had been a joke and that it wasn't until after a Facebook group had been set up and 200 people signed up that he began to take it seriously. He said the present SU Executive were unknown to most students or at least to the "seriously intellectual" medical students and that this was something he wanted to change. "The SU didnt help you but I want to help it help you."

John McGeady

"Bikes,beds and books" are his mantra. He proposes if elected to use FLAC as an important link to setting up a forum to help students find accommodation. Students understanding their rights regarding housing and employment are also on his agenda.

David O'Reilly-Healy

Running his campaign focusing on health, wealth and wisdom. Among his proposals were the areas of sexual and mental health, issue of fees, improving facilities on campus for students and the use of continous assessment so as to reduce pressure on students at exam time. The ALIVE programme he feels doesn't give enough recognition to students. When pushed to elaborate on how he would implement his policies he said he was looking for ideas. "It's your college, I'm elected by you."

Vice President/Education Officer

Emmett Connolly

The second incumbent officer. Off the bat he admitted he was a FF member in an effort to prevent Mr Duffy from bringing it up at a later stage. The main reason he had decided to run again was the disaster that was the student grant system which he sees as archaic and inefficient. In the last year he had dealt with many students in financial difficulties with their grants coming in late. He feels the USI did nothing about the problem so felt it was imperative to run again. The change in the Back to Education system propsed by the Government is also on his agenda. While admitting that his policies were at odds with his political affiliation and that he could tear up his membership card he felt it would be an empty gesture but added that "If anyone in FF got to know me they wouldn't want to know me."

Brendan Gallagher

Said one of his main reasons for running was that he felt it was time for a change of mentality in the SU which he feels has been helping to cocoon students from the harsh realities of our present economic climate. He believes there is a direct correlation between bank bailouts and cuts in education and that students must come together to resist fees. Mr Gallagher admitted his leftist leanings and said he hopes if elected to persuade students to come around to his point of view. He feels student activism will increase due to the economic climate. However his proposed cheap childcare for students and the setting up of a non profit creche went down like a lead balloon when he had to be corrected on his statement that there was not a creche facility operating on campus open to students.

James McGlynn

Has just returned to university having been forced to take a year out to work in order to continue to finance his education. Seemed reasonable if a little sparse in his policies stating CELT was an integral part of helping students. Among his other proposals was the bringing back of the buses around exam time which he views as very acheivable. Was quick to jump on Mr Connolly's utterance that some cuts were necessary by replying that cuts in education were never acceptable and that instead more funding should be made available to further a knowledge economy.

Heber Rowan

A B.A. International student who has just returned from a year abroad and seemed keener on pointing out how much better universities were run in Spain than offering any real feasible ideas for NUIG. His proposed idea for policing the Reading Room in order to prevent non NUIG students from taking up limited spaces ended in derision when he admitted his pet peeve was being asked for his ID card on entering the library.

President

John Bugler

Said little of any consequence in the 30 seconds he used of the minute offered to him to put forward his proposals other than to say that he wanted to help make a difference and to make students proud. Had little to add when probed during the questions other than to lodge his own question on where the registration fee was going. Obviously does not read SIN, as a recent issue explained where it is being spent.

Noel Colleran

Seemed to be in a race with the prevous candidate to see who could finish their opening spiel the fastest while telling us about his fighting spirit and not known when he is beaten. Wants to fight to achieve student needs but seems to need someone tell him what those needs are as when questioned he said he needed to know the answer to the question before he could offer a solution. Feels a bit of passion is necessary for SU President as one needs to go into situations 'whole assed.'

Joseph Loughnane

Probably one of the most active and well known individuals on campus but maybe not always for the right reasons. His activism and involvement in certain societies have left him feeling apologetic for past behaviour but sees his mixed race heritage as being responsibile for his passion and drive to right wrongs but believes he has learned from his mistakes. He feels the SU needs to focus on job creation for students and the issue of the registration fee which is being spent badly. Students paying membership to the gym when it was built out of the reg fee is a sore point also. His ability to be impartial was questioned given his often impassioned reaction to certain situations but he feels he is up to the task but he has not yet met the often unflexible machine that is University management.

Paddy Melia

A class rep and a former member of the Academic Council. Is running his campaign under the auspices of 'Your college your call' which seems to harp back to other candidates looking to the students for issues without having any real ideas of their own. Did point out that class reps were slacking but added that he believes the SU is not working either. He said there were "serious issues" that needed "serious ideas" but failed to elaborate on what they were. Did have one suggestion which he admitted came from someone else; to set up a fuel co-op on campus but seems to be unaware the logistics such an operation would entail.

Peter Mannion

Probably best known as the Obama intern. A former Law Society Auditor he seemes to have taken lessons from the SU in putting forward reasonable and realistic objectives. While he understands the need and sees it as fundamentally important to save as much money as possible, instead of flat out rejecting the bane that is the parking permit charge he has said he would try to get it as cheap as possible. The reg fee as with everyone is high on his agenda but so is the issue of students getting competitive degrees. One issue that could win him serious votes is the promise of getting big ents onto campus. On the point of ongoing tensions between the SU and Management, he expressed the importance of mediation but only where it is in the students best interest.

Mike Spring

A renowned Lit n Debber well able to hold an argument often without saying very much at all. In his opening minute he had little to offer by way of actual policies stating only that the University was important to him and was more than just bricks and mortar and shoddy wiring. Maybe this is some secret code to underlying maintainence issues that need addressing? Was pushed by Mr Duffy on his recent stance against another society on a rather controversial topic but feels he can draw on his teaching experience when it comes to remaining impartial. Referred to the USI as "useful tool but a toothless wonder" but that he loved the idea of it and that it was important to have a student body at national level. Said using modern technology could be an important way for the SU to connect with the student body.

By Deirdre Judge