ISSU Seeks Your Views on Period Products in the Education System
The ISSU wants to hear about your views on period poverty and period products in the education system.
From Tuesday 11th until Sunday 23rd May, we are holding a survey for students, teacher and parents & guardians to get their views.
Period Poverty is a serious issue throughout many second-level institutions, whether an issue faced by students who may be struggling financially at home, or as an issue of stigma in the school environment. The ISSU wants to make sure that anyone experiencing a period has access to adequate products and is comfortable both at school and at home.
The Period Products Working Group, led by the ISSU Welfare Officer, is eager to gauge exactly what second-level students might be going through - from embarrassment, to period product availability to their understanding of period poverty. This survey has been created to gauge your views, and has been created with support from Any Time Of The Month (ATOTM) and BeLonGTo.
The survey links can be found here or at the link below.
Annual Reports to the ISSU Annual Assembly
On May 9th 2021, the Coiste Gnó na nDaltaí / National Student Executive (NSE) and Monitoring & Advisory Committee (MAC) presented their Annual Reports to the membership of the ISSU. Check them out below!
NSE Report
MAC Report
ISSU Members Elect 2021-22 Coiste Gnó na nDaltaí (NSE) and MAC
The 2021-22 Coiste Gnó an Aontais / National Student Executive (NSE) and Monitoring & Advisory Committee (MAC) of the ISSU was elected at the ISSU Annual Assembly on May 9th 2021. We congratulate the elected officers who will be leading the union in the year ahead.
Coiste Gnó / NSE
Uachtarán (President): Emer Neville (Presentation Secondary School, Clonmel)
Leas Uachtarán (Deputy President:) Adam Lambe (St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan)
Rúnaí (Secretary): Eoin Connolly (Villiers School, Limerick)
Welfare Officer: Matthew Ryan (St. Francis College, Cork)
Sustainability Officer: Salim Kajani (St. Michael’s College, Dublin)
International Officer: Kacper Bogalecki (St. Brendan’s College Killarney)
Regional Liaison & Support Officer: Mohammad Naeem (St. Colman’s College, Claremorris)
Equality Officer: Saoirse Exton (Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh)
Communications Officer: Quinton Kelly (Coláiste Éamonn Rís, Wexford)
Oifigeach na Gaeilge: James Ó Muirithe (Meánscoil San Nioclás, Rinn Ó gCuanach)
Education Officer: Jack McGinn (Ardscoil Rís, Limerick)
Disability Officer: Akeno Barrett (Coláiste an Chroí Naofa, Carrignavar)
Honorary President: Reuban Murray
MAC
Beth Doherty
Katie Halpin-Hill
Evan Pereira
Eiman Elsir
Matthew Colgan
ISSU Supports Moves to Lower Voting Age to Sixteen
ISSU Statement: ISSU Supports Moves to Lower Voting Age to Sixteen
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) fully supports the legislative moves to lower the voting age to sixteen introduced in recent weeks. The ISSU has been at the forefront of campaigning and lobbying on the reduction of the voting age for a number of years. We strongly urge all political parties and members of the Oireachtas to vote for any measure that would allow sixteen and seventeen year olds to participate in democracy.
A “Vote at Sixteen'' Working Group, led by ISSU Deputy President Luke Casserly, was established in 2020 to campaign and lobby for the lowering of the voting age to sixteen. As the democratically-elected representatives of students in Ireland, the ISSU has been mandated to engage with all political parties and representatives on the issue, and the Working Group is pleased with all engagements to date. We do, however, want to see more concrete action taken by all political representatives to endorse this measure.
Speaking about the issue today, Mr. Casserly stated: “For us, lowering the voting age is a common sense measure that would allow young people to participate in democracy and have a say in matters that have a direct impact on their lives. If we trust them to finish school, work and pay taxes, or consent to medical treatment for example, why shouldn’t we trust and empower them to vote for who represents them?”.
Adding to this, ISSU Equality Officer Saoirse Exton, noted “Over the past number of years we have seen young people take a full and active role in society, calling for positive change in various campaigns ranging from climate justice to clarity on state exams. We have proven to be a mature, articulate, and passionate generation, and it’s about time that we are treated with the same level of respect other generations have been afforded for years.”
The ISSU will continue to enthusiastically campaign and advocate for the lowering of the voting age until this cohort of young people can vote in every election in Ireland.
ISSU Strongly Welcomes Minister Foley’s Announcement on Potential Legislative Change to Ensure Adequate RSE.
Today, Minister Foley announced that the Government would be prepared to implement legislative changes in order to achieve adequate, relevant and age-appropriate sexual education throughout Irish schools.
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) strongly supports this announcement and urges the Minister to collaborate and consult with the ISSU and other relevant stakeholders moving forward. It is vital that the student voice is heard in this process in order to ensure a relevant, comprehensive and practical Relationships & Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum is delivered.
The ISSU has fought for RSE reform since its founding in 2008. Recently, a study conducted by the union found that more than 35% of 5th and 6th year students received no RSE so far during their time in senior cycle and an additional 25% of students who were provided with RSE received it at a “minimal level”.
ISSU Welfare Officer Matthew Ryan, himself a 6th year student in St. Francis College, Rochestown said “The RSE curriculum is one that has been in dire need of reforming for many years. The ISSU welcomes wholeheartedly the comments made by Minister Foley regarding the potential legislative changes that could be brought forward to ensure that every student in this country receives the RSE they not only need, but deserve. RSE is vital in protecting our students’ welfare and well-being both now and in later life. The ISSU will continue to fight for this and we hope Minister Foley will engage with us in this process”
Transition Year Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh student and ISSU Equality Officer, Saoirse Exton, commented “RSE should be one of the most integral parts of any health-related curriculum, and yet the subject matter is outdated and impractical to today’s second-level students. The ISSU welcomes this announcement and urges the Minister to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the union itself, in order to achieve a well-rounded, relevant and comprehensive guide to sexual health.”
ISSU Publishes Senior Cycle Reform Report; Outlines Students Views & Wishes Going Forward
Today, Wednesday 7th April 2021, The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union held a virtual Symposium to launch their Senior Cycle Reform Report.
The ISSU has been consulting with students, education stakeholders and representative groups in the creation of this new Senior Cycle Reform Report. The new report was launched by former Minister of Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn.
Participants of the survey are students from 32 ISSU member schools across the country. The survey sample is representative of the school and student make-up of Ireland, and both 5th and 6th year groups were invited to complete the survey.
The Senior Cycle Reform Report will form the basis for future lobbying by the ISSU on the issue of Senior Cycle Reform.
Speaking ahead of the launch, ISSU Education Officer Alicia O'Sullivan stated, “Covid-19 has had a huge impact on second-level students across the country, and has exposed very serious inequalities that have been around for a long time. The ISSU have been advocating for this reform for a long time and if there was ever a perfect time for it to happen, it is now. Student voice needs to be included in all conversations and this brings those voices front and center.”
The ISSU has published this report to represent and uplift students' views on Senior Cycle Reform.
The Report can be found below, with key findings included in the Executive Summary.
Alternatively, please click here to see the Report.