The Union of Students in Ireland (Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn) is the national representative body for third-level students' unions in Ireland. The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is the sole national representative body for students in Ireland. Founded in 1959, USI now represents more than 250,000 students in over forty colleges across the island of Ireland.

The Union's sovereign body is its Annual Congress, and its executive authority is its National Council, comprising representatives from each member organisation. Members of the Officer Board of USI serve a one year term beginning on July 1. The current President is Shane Kelly, a former President of the Students Union in Waterford Institute of Technology, who succeeded Hamid Khodabakhshi of DIT.

Chief Justice John L. Murray was President in 1966/67 and broadcaster Joe Duffy held the post in 1983-84. Several prominent Irish politicians also started their careers through involvement in USI, including former Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Leader Mark Durkan, Labour Party Leader & TD Eamon Gilmore, Fianna Fáil Councillor Malcolm Byrne, Labour Party Councillor, Seán Ó hArgáin, Socialist Party councillor Mick Murphy, Labour Senator Ivana Bacik former Mayor of Tuam, Colm Keaveney and Labour and ITGWU/SIPTU activist Pat Brady. Investor Gordon Colleary established travel company USIT during his term as President and went on to grow the company into the world leader in student travel before its near collapse following the attacks on the World Trade Center.

In Northern Ireland, USI jointly operates NUS-USI with the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom, with students being members of both national unions.

USI is member of both ESIB and EURODOC and have provided officer-holders in both organisations.

Presidents of USI

Deputy Presidents of USI

Officer Board 08/09

• President: Shane Kelly
• Deputy President: Dave Curran
• Education Officer: Bartley Rock
• Welfare Officer: Anthony Muldoon
• Equality Officer: Linda Kelly
• Eastern Area Officer: Ciara Broderick
• Western Area Officer: Peter Manion
• Southern Area Officer: Kris Mc Ilheny
• Northern Area Officer: Katie Morgan
• LGBT Rights Officer: Rob Doyle
• Irish Language Officer: Donnocha O'Suillebháin
• Postgraduate Officer: Enda Duffy
• Disability Rights Officer: James Barry

Officer Board 07/08

• President: Richard Morrisroe (until Oct 2007) / Hamidreza Khodabakhshi
• Education Officer: Hamidreza Khodabakhshi (until Oct 2007) / Peter Mannion
• Welfare Officer: Peadar Hayes (until Jan 2008)
• Equality Officer: Steve Conlon (until Oct 2007) / Ryan Griffin
• Eastern Area Officer: Paul Lynam
• Southern Area Officer: Katie Morrisroe (until Jan 2008)
• Northern Area Officer: Katie Morgan
• LGBT Rights Officer: Sonya Donnelly
• Environmental Awareness Officer: David Curran
• Oifigeach na Gaeilge: Louise Nic Aodbhuí

Officer Board 06/07

• President: Colm Hamrogue
• Education Officer: Bernadette Farrell
• Welfare Officer: Kelly Mackey
• Eastern Area Officer: John McGuirk
• Western Area Officer: Kieran O'Malley
• Southern Area Officer: Katie Morrisroe
• Northern Area Officer: Colleen Dowdall
• LGBT Rights Officer: Steve Conlon
• Irish Language Officer: Ciaran Mac Fheargusa
• Postgraduate Officer: Patrick Carroll

Officer Board 05/06

• President: Tony McDonnell
• Deputy President: Ruth Ní Eidhin (until Oct 2005)
• Education Officer: Daithí Mac Sithigh(until Oct 2005)/Richard Morrisroe
• Welfare Officer: Tom Lowth
• Eastern Area Officer: Colm Doyle
• Western Area Officer: Roma Towey
• Northern Area Officer: Damien Kavanagh
• LGBT Rights Officer: Charlie Atkinson/Sonia Donnelly
• Irish Language Officer: Aoibheann Ni Fearon/Ciarán Mac Fhearghusa

Officer Board 04/05

• President: Ben Archibald
• Deputy President:
• Education Officer:
• Welfare Officer:
• Eastern Area Officer:
• Western Area Officer:
• Northern Area Officer:
• LGBT Rights Officer: Emma Dunphy/John Dunne
• Irish Language Officer:

Officer Board 03/04

• President: Will Priestly
• Deputy President: Gareth Keogh
• Education Officer: Brighid Breathnach
• Welfare Officer: Glen Guilfoyle
• Equality Officer: Lyndsey Jones
• Eastern Area Officer:
• Western Area Officer:
• Southern Area Officer:
• Northern Area Officer: Ben Archibald
• LGBT Rights Officer: Tadhg O'Brien
• Disability Awareness Officer: Mark?
• Irish Language Officer: Eimear Nic an Bhaird
• Environmental Awareness Officer: Joyce Power
• Chairperson of the Women's Rights Action Committee: Annie Gatling

Officer Board 02/03

• President: Colm Jordan
• Deputy President: Noel Hogan
• Education Officer: Gareth Keogh
• Welfare Officer: Maureen Woods
• Equality Officer: Bernard Cantillon
• Eastern Area Officer: Mark?
• Western Area Officer: Padraig O Duinnin
• Southern Area Officer: Cathal ó Suilleabhain
• Northern Area Officer: Ben Archibald
• LGBT Rights Officer: Iain Gill
• Womens Rights Officer: June Coghlan
• Disability Awareness Officer: Niamh Hayes
• Irish Language Officer: Brighid Breathnach
• Environmental Awareness Officer: Joyce Power

Officer Board 01/02

• President: Richard Hammond
• Deputy President: ?
• Education Officer: Colm Jordan
• Welfare Officer: JP Swaine
• Equality Officer: John C. Friend Pereira
• Eastern Area Officer: Noel Aungier
• Western Area Officer: Padraig O Duinnin
• Southern Area Officer: ?
• Northern Area Officer: ?
• LGBT Rights Officer: Diane Goldthorp
• Womens Rights Officer: Eibhlin Gleeson
• Disability Awareness Officer: Joan Cullen
• Irish Language Officer: ?
• Environmental Awareness Officer: Mark Grehan

Officer Board 00/01

• President: Julian de Spainn
• Deputy President: Cian O'Callaghan
• Education Officer:
• Welfare Officer: Alison Gibney
• Equality Officer: Rory McDaid
• Eastern Area Officer:
• Western Area Officer:
• Southern Area Officer:
• Northern Area Officer:
• LGBT Rights Officer: Diane Goldthorp
• Womens Rights Officer: Andrea Leahy
• Disability Awareness Officer: Joan Cullen
• Irish Language Officer:
• Environmental Awareness Officer: Lorraine Rice

Officer Board 99/00

• President: Phil Madden
• Deputy President: Julian de Spainn
• Education Officer:
• Welfare Officer: Cian O'Callaghan
• Equality Officer: Martin French
• Eastern Area Officer:
• Western Area Officer:
• Southern Area Officer:
• Northern Area Officer:
• LGBT Rights Officer: ?
• Womens Rights Officer: Emma Dowling
• Disability Awareness Officer: Joan Cullen
• Irish Language Officer:
• Environmental Awareness Officer:

References

External links

• Official site