Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Students need certainty from this Bill. They need certainty that their voices are heard and that they take their place as key stakeholders where decisions are being made about the institutions in which they are the largest cohort. This issue is at its most pressing in the structure the governing body takes because key decisions are made there. I refer to the levies they pay, the services and supports on offer and how they interact on their campus.

Student union officers receive a mandate to work on these issues from the wider student body, more of a mandate than any other member of the governing body. They offer unique insights into the student experience and ensure that a governing body is diverse and balanced as opposed to one always balanced toward management and staff.