Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

We were talking about the definition of students' unions. We talked about this previously and this is something that came up when I was in the student movement, when we used to meet officials in the old Department of Education and Skills, which has now separated into two Departments. Maybe we were being a bit suspicious but we always got the sense that the officials did not want to define a students' union on the off chance there was a falling out. There was always the question of what would happen if we ceased to exist. We do not operate any other system by saying "but you might disappear". That is not a logical reason. This was said in conversations. Any time legislation was being brought in around this area, we would try to get a definition of students' union in there because it is a good idea to have one.I certainly would agree with the second definition as opposed to the first. Students' unions have representation on a number of bodies. They are democratically elected. I am still mystified ten years on as to why there is so much resistance to defining them in a way that recognises their democratic structures and the fact they are elected by students for students and have a really important role and function. I am not really entirely sure why. I really would love to hear the reason because as I said, over the ten years I have been doing this, we have never been given a solid reason. There were kinds of loose questions, for example about what would happen if things do not work out. It is not a relationship; we are not dating. It is a students' union. They have a long history and have been around. Students' unions predate some of this legislation we are updating. It is unlikely that they will disappear off the face of the earth and even if they do, we can turn amendments around pretty quick smart in here if we have to.

I do not understand why there is resistance to defining it. When we are making such big, broad, sweeping statements about what the future of higher education will look like through this Bill, it would be really good to embed the students' unions into that and give them the recognition they deserve. They are a representative body elected by students both locally and nationally. I do not know why we are not doing it; it is beyond me. I would love to hear why we are not recognising this particular structure of education in the way we could and should do.

This is a good piece of legislation. There are obviously things we want to see changed. We may not get to our amendments but on the students' union issue, in particular, I do not know why we are not doing it. I implore the Minister to consider putting that definition in to give the students' unions the respect and autonomy they deserve for the democratic role and function they play.