The Union of Students in Ireland has elected Michael Kerrigan as its national president for the next academic year. Mr Kerrigan, who studied at St. Patrick's College, Tuam and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, is the union's outgoing vice president for the Border, Midlands and Western region.

Mr Kerrigan takes over from Annie Hoey.

Speaking immediately after the result was announced, Mr Kerrigan said:

"I am delighted that the students at USI Congress have put their trust in me again this year. With the decision on the future funding of higher education and the ongoing fight to protect Students' Union autonomy, USI will face a number of crucial challenges this year, however I have no doubt that the student movement is in a position to tackle these head on."

Delegates at Treacy's West County hotel in Ennis, Co Clare, also decreed to upgrade the role of leas-uachtarán don Ghaeilge to a full-time paid position in the union.

Congress also passed motion AL2 which mandates the USI leadership to campaign for a language act in Northern Ireland.

The motion calls on the leas-uachtarán don Ghaeilge and the officer board to campaign for a language act in Northern Ireland "working with groups like Conradh na Gaeilge and an Dream Dearg to ensure that the populations Language rights do not continue to be violated."

'An Dream Dearg' is the name adopted by an Irish language group formed following the decision last December by DUP minister to cut funding for Liofa, the Gaeltacht Bursary scheme for young people wishing to learn Irish. The group now campaigns for legislative protection for Irish in Northern Ireland.

Congress also passed a motion appointing an officer for the Dublin region.

A motion calling on the USI president and the leas-uachtarán don Ghaeilge to support "any advancements made by the relative groups (notably An Dream Dearg) towards having an Irish Language Act in the North" was withdrawn due to a procedural motion.*

Further elections

Also elected at the Congress were:

Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha - Vice President for the Irish Language
(Laoighseach is a student at NUI, Galway)

Michelle Byrne - Vice President for the Southern Region
(Michelle is the current President of Waterford Institute of Technology Students' Union)

Jimmy McGovern - Vice President for the Border, Midlands and Western Region
(Jimmy is the current President of NUI, Galway Students' Union)

Síona Cahill - Vice President for Equality and Citizenship
(Síona has been re-elected to this role)

Amy Kelly - Vice President for Campaigns
(Amy is the current President of Galway-Mayo IT Students' Union)

Niamh Murtagh - Vice President for Welfare
(Niamh is currently the USI Vice President for the Southern Region)

Oisín Hassan - Vice President for Academic Affairs
(Oisín is a current Vice President at Queen's University Belfast Students' Union)

* This article was amended on 29/03 to correct a factual error.