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USI president arrested

Local-womanizer

USI president John Louge was arrested this evening in the Dail for standing up and turning his back on the TDs.

There was an arranged address so TDs could talk directly to students in the public gallery about the Fees fiasco.

It's on Twitter if you follow USI, a picture of John Louge being hand cuffed by the Gardai.

http://twitter.com/search?q=#usi&src=typd

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Senna

I agreed, its disgraceful but the objective here should be to embarrass and maximise media attention, one loud mouth getting arrested does nothing. The first thing that jumps to my mind would be a peaceful protest, refuse to leave the gallery. Force them to handle a peaceful situation badly, rather than just make an arse out of yourself and hand them the opportunity to arrest.

phoenix999

Sure he's from Donegal. The new Rebel County don't ya know.

Local-womanizer

Senna wrote: »

I agreed, its disgraceful but the objective here should be to embarrass and maximise media attention, one loud mouth getting arrested does nothing. The first thing that jumps to my mind would be a peaceful protest, refuse to leave the gallery. Force them to handle a peaceful situation badly, rather than just make an arse out of yourself and hand them the opportunity to arrest.

The not leaving the gallery would have no effect though, as it would only come apparent after the TDs had left. In fairness they have been highlighting the issue in the media the last few weeks to no effect as well.

I would be totally against it if things had got violent but a bit of shouting is not violent, it garners attention and hopefully will bring the fees issue to the attention to a wider population tomorrow.

What should have been done was every student stood up and turn their back, but I'd still say the gardai would have still arrested Logue, being the president.

There would be giving out if nobody took a stand. I think it's good to see that there is people who feel strongly about issues today that they have protested.

NTMK

Senna wrote: »

I agreed, its disgraceful but the objective here should be to embarrass and maximise media attention

embrassing that shower of muppets would go unnoticed. They do that themselves on a daily basis at this stage which is depressing on so many levels

phoenix999

Protocol is big in Leinster House. Us serfs must know our position.

petersburg2002

Me thinks Leinster House is going to be under siege until Xmas. It's about time they earned those attendance allowances.

Son Of A Vidic

A pity he didn't squat over the edge of the balcony and shít onto the shít below.

Local-womanizer

Actually just read that all students did in fact stand up and turn around but Logue was asked to sit down, refused and arrested for breach of Dail rules.

He has been released since.

[Jackass]

It seems he was arrested for disobeying a direct order from a garda, nothing to do with Dail procedure per se.

Galwayguy35

I don't know what they would do if they lived in America where they would have to pay back all they money that was given to them as a loan when they started working.

It's time these people got real and realised the money isn't there anymore so if they want to stay in college then they will have to pay a bit more.

[Jackass]

Unfortunately, Ireland got used to the hand out society Bertie introduced during the bubble to buy votes.

Relative to other countries, we have it quite good here, especially when it comes to education. And I'm saying this as a mature student directly effected by everything they're protesting against.

We need to get real here. Yes, we will not be getting as much handouts as we used to, yes, you will have to pay more for services as subsidies can't be afforded any more, yes taxes will increase....

We're billions in debt and have to cut out a c. 14 billion blackhole in our budget...do people even realise the extent to which this country has been bankrupted by a decade of criminal mismanagement?

One thing I do agree with though is that the time frame by which grants are being processed is an absolute disgrace, and par for the course for one of the most expensive, over paid and over staffed public sector that they can't get anything done in a way that resembles anything like effeciency...

ballsymchugh

i was hoping for a gladiator vs emperor standoff myself.

i'm disappointed.

Local-womanizer

[Jackass] wrote: »

It seems he was arrested for disobeying a direct order from a garda, nothing to do with Dail procedure per se.

No, he was asked to sit down by Dail security, refused and was arrested.

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I don't know what they would do if they lived in America where they would have to pay back all they money that was given to them as a loan when they started working.

It's time these people got real and realised the money isn't there anymore so if they want to stay in college then they will have to pay a bit more.

It's a moot point though. We don't live in America, we live in Ireland where the government provide the financial support for someone who is willing to educate themselves in a certain sector. If the government said "no grants, pay your own way" grand, but they don't. They way that have handle the grants and fees situation has been a disgrace, to say otherwise would be ludicrous.

Many people have moved to college and begun their courses, yet are still waiting for their grant, and in the meantime they have no way to pay their way. That to mean is extremely unfair.

Galwayguy35

Local-womanizer wrote: »

No, he was asked to sit down by Dail security, refused and was arrested.

It's a moot point though. We don't live in America, we live in Ireland where the government provide the financial support for someone who is willing to educate themselves in a certain sector. If the government said "no grants, pay your own way" grand, but they don't. They way that have handle the grants and fees situation has been a disgrace, to say otherwise would be ludicrous.

Many people have moved to college and begun their courses, yet are still waiting for their grant, and in the meantime they have no way to pay their way. That to mean is extremely unfair.

Of course the delay is unfair, but that's not the point I was making.

Chances are that some of the people in college today will possibly be members of Government in 20 or 30 years time so I would imagine at least some of them would have an idea of the mess the country is in and realise that the good times are over.

Lyaiera

An Irish Have I Got News For You odd one out round.

Gerry Adams, Nelson Mandela, This USI President, Bertie Ahern

They're all politicians except for the USI President who is only a wannabe politician.

Local-womanizer

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Of course the delay is unfair, but that's not the point I was making.

Chances are that some of the people in college today will possibly be members of Government in 20 or 30 years time so I would imagine at least some of them would have an idea of the mess the country is in and realise that the good times are over.

Yup, I know the country is in a mess and things have to be cut.

What I don't want to see is the government abandon all support for young people looking to get into 3rd level education, I think this would be a backward step and do the country more harm in the long run.

The grants I found were not even that substantial for when I was in college (4 years ago) and I was in a financial situation that was less than comfortable. I was lucky to find part time employment later on thankfully.

What I did find unfair was the grants mature students received, not to mention the book grant they get. The grant system is very skewed between a person of 22 years of age and a person of 23 years of age. If they balanced out the grant system it would be beneficial to all.

I find it strange in AH that every day people say that the Irish are happy enough to sit back and let the government walk all over them, then when someone actually makes a stand they are labelled as self serving tw@ts looking to further their own agenda and get a leg up into politics. Sometimes Ireland baffles me, it really does!

Lyaiera

Local-womanizer wrote: »

I find it strange in AH that every day people say that the Irish are happy enough to sit back and let the government walk all over them, then when someone actually makes a stand they are labelled as self serving tw@ts looking to further their own agenda and get a leg up into politics.

In fairness, the majority who rose to the top in the USI were self serving twats who wanted to get into politics. The few who weren't were usually in the rights based sections of the organisation, and I still see them to this day campaigning on rights based issues.

banquo

GRMA wrote: »

Fianna Fáil gobsh!te in publicity stunt. Useless wanker just like the last USI president. He himself has a different position on fees tan the USI, just another power hungry **** like the last one hoping to parlay this gig into a political career.

Halfway to the gravy train!

Clearly you have absolutely no idea what USI has done for young people in the last few years. They have done incredible amounts for awareness and stigma of mental health issues (not to mention fundraising), achieved substantial increases in assistance funds for the students that need it most, and changed some pretty key areas of irish education policy.

Our man in Havana

banquo wrote: »

Clearly you have absolutely no idea what USI has done for young people in the last few years. They have done incredible amounts for awareness and stigma of mental health issues (not to mention fundraising), achieved substantial increases in assistance funds for the students that need it most, and changed some pretty key areas of irish education policy.

Sweet fanny adams living off of capitation grants of students.

banquo

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Sweet fanny adams living off of capitation grants of students.

There is no such thing as a capitation grant. If you mean money that students pay for students unions to exist, almost 100% of that goes towards clubs and societies, hardship funds and scholarships.

But this troll is full I fear.

Lyaiera

banquo wrote: »

There is no such thing as a capitation grant. If you mean money that students pay for students unions to exist, almost 100% of that goes towards clubs and societies, hardship funds and scholarships.

But this troll is full I fear.

This person is right, at least for my Uni, there's a separate levy for the USI.

Our man in Havana

I am no troll. I have no time for the USI and they never represented my views when I was a student.

Local-womanizer

Lyaiera wrote: »

In fairness, the majority who rose to the top in the USI were self serving twats who wanted to get into politics. The few who weren't were usually in the rights based sections of the organisation, and I still see them to this day campaigning on rights based issues.

I would have no issues with someone who goes into such a position, especially an elected one, carries out their mandate and actively represents their members and then use this experience in future to move into politics.

Just because one wants to go into politics, it's no reason to write them off as self serving tw@ts. Judge them on their actions solely and not on the actions of their predecessors.

Fiery biscuits

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oRNx_QK34B8

oppenheimer1

Lyaiera wrote: »

In fairness, the majority who rose to the top in the USI were self serving twats who wanted to get into politics. The few who weren't were usually in the rights based sections of the organisation, and I still see them to this day campaigning on rights based issues.

I could never really understand why the USI has a "rights" wing. They're meant to be campaigning for student interests, they're not a political party. They are out campaigning and wasting money on things a large cohort of students couldn't give a fiddlers about - yet claimed to representing their views.

I never had much time for those self serving clowns while I was a student anyway. Student politics always was and remains a joke.

Lyaiera

Local-womanizer wrote: »

I would have no issues with someone who goes into such a position, especially an elected one, carries out their mandate and actively represents their members and then use this experience in future to move into politics.

Just because one wants to go into politics, it's no reason to write them off as self serving tw@ts. Judge them on their actions solely and not on the actions of their predecessors.

Ok, you're right. I'll just call him a little silly-billy then. Throwing away some of the hard work that has been done by the few decent USI representatives that I knew. The few who worked hard to make the union a legitimate lobbying body. They had a hard fight and they never totally succeeded before entering the "real world" but they did make a little difference. So is it ok if I call him silly billy?

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I could never really understand why the USI has a "rights" wing. They're meant to be campaigning for student interests, they're not a political party. They are out campaigning and wasting money on things a large cohort of students couldn't give a fiddlers about - yet claimed to representing their views.

I never had much time for those self serving clowns while I was a student anyway. Student politics always was and remains a joke.

Because a lot of students don't have their rights respected? It's pretty obvious.

Fishooks12

At the end of the day his job is to represent students, which he didn't do tonight. Acting like an arse in the Daíl public gallery will do nothing but change the story from the failing SUSI system to him getting locked up.

Ego at play methinks

oppenheimer1

Lyaiera wrote: »

Because a lot of students don't have their rights respected? It's pretty obvious.

The union is meant for the advocacy of students in general, it is not meant to be a collection of special interest groups which they often appear to be. You don't see trade unions doing what the students unions doing - they only fight causes which have the support of their members. The students unions cannot claim to have that same mandate. They effectively force students to pay up by piggybacking on the university registration charges that are difficult to opt out of. The unions often effectively have no mandate, with turnout in votes often not reaching 20% of the "electorate". In fact if a student election got 30% turn out like the childrens referendum , it would be considered a success, rather than pitiful.

BlaasForRafa

bloodystudentgetarealjob!

BlaasForRafa

Our man in Havana wrote: »

I am no troll. I have no time for the USI and they never represented my views when I was a student.

me either, I despised the student union leaders and USI leaders when I was in college. They were all just FF or Labour politicians in waiting. They'd have a march or protest every couple of months to build their profile with the party but they rest of the time they'd be sitting on their holes smoking spliffs in the student union offices.