When we sat down (virtually) with Saskia McCormack-Eiffe, she was calm, chatty, and clearly campaign-seasoned. She’s been involved in youth activism for a decade and has held more SU and society positions than most students could name. Now, she’s running for UCDSU President on a platform that promises a mixture of grassroots idealism with pragmatic policy.
However, the question remains: Does UCDSU need more of the same or a radical rethink?
“Students don’t engage with us — until they need us.”
Saskia is under no illusion about the SU’s reputation. She says engagement is low because students often don’t understand what the Union actually does. “We don’t just hand out condoms,” she quips. “We’re running food pantries, commuter breakfasts—dinners even.”
Her strategy? Force visibility. She’s proposing “No Sabat Days,” where sabbatical officers are banned from the office unless they have casework. It’s a bold plan that prioritises face-to-face presence over bureaucratic distance.
This speaks to a broader issue: apathy. With all other sabbatical roles uncontested, it’s not a stretch to say the Union struggles to inspire. Saskia hopes increased transparency and small community events — not “massive bashes” — across UCD’s forgotten campuses (Richview, Smurfit, Newstead) might re-establish some connection. “UCD isn’t just Belfield,” she reminds us. But rebuilding trust is a long-term job — perhaps a lot longer than one year.
Cost Concerns
Unsurprisingly, the cost of living dominates her platform. “Accommodation is extortionate,” she says. “A thousand a month — and there’s black mould in the rooms.” She’s doubling down on the SU’s current campaign for a rent freeze, hoping to use it as a stepping stone toward reductions. When pushed on why UCD management would care — if some students can’t afford campus rents, others will — she doesn’t sugar-coat it: “No, they don’t care. Not right now.” But she’s betting that public pressure and direct action might finally shift the dial.
She’s also preparing to expand the UCDSU food pantry, turning it into a data-backed argument for further support. “We’ll run a pilot, collect the numbers, and go to UCD management with proof that students are in need.” It’s methodical — but also a gamble on whether management will listen to anything beyond balance sheets.
Campus Fixes and Realism
Unlike other candidates pitching grand political overhauls, Saskia’s manifesto focuses heavily on improving the everyday student experience. It includes commuter-friendly spaces, self-service stations, sofas, and microwaves. We asked where the money would come from, and she’s already in talks with Estates about minor works grants—or, failing that, sponsorship and SU funding.
She’s cautious not to overpromise. On the accommodation, she states: “We’re not going to solve the housing crisis overnight,” perhaps indirectly pointing at rival Tia Cullen’s platform. “But we can make the campus feel more livable, more human.”
She doesn’t hesitate when we challenge her on whether this is a priority over removing hidden costs and tackling fees. “Education is too expensive — and I’m not on SUSI. I pay my own way.” She’s worked with Tia (the current Education Officer) on SUSI reform this year but sees it as a longer-term fight. Her approach is to win small battles while still showing up for the bigger ones.
The Union, the State, and Sinn Féin?
Her response to UCD’s involvement with Israeli universities on the CATALOOP project is unequivocal: “They lied to students. They said there were no ties — then there were. They should withdraw.” She does not attempt to hedge the answer — which might win her support from students frustrated with the university’s silence on Palestine.
We also asked about rejoining the Union of Students in Ireland (USI); Saskia told us that she is currently undecided on the matter. “It will probably be when I’m actually at the polls voting [when] I’ll make my mind up.”
More pointedly, we ask about political affiliations. Saskia denies any. When questioned about alleged support from Sinn Féin HQ, she is firm: “Completely false. I’ve clarified [this] with everyone on my team. There have been no emails.” She admits she was briefly a member of Ógra Sinn Féin when she was 16, but insists she’s had no party involvement since. “I don’t know where it’s coming from — but it’s not true.”
The Roche Factor
Michael Roche, her opponent, has centred his campaign on SU spending — calling out “wasteful initiatives” and specifically criticising the addition of a cinema screen in the Atrium. Saskia calls his claims “vague.”
“What initiatives is he talking about?” she asks. “Period products? Trans-affirming products? Commuter breakfasts?” As for the cinema, she clarifies quickly: “That’s not our screen. It’s the Student Centre’s. Anyone can book it.”
Still, she doesn’t outright deny that the SU could be more financially transparent — only that Roche hasn’t made a strong enough case to convince her reform is needed.
What Comes First?
If elected, Saskia says her first priority is ensuring summer accommodation improvements happen. “Three months of an empty campus? Perfect time to deal with the mould, fix the leaks. Students deserve better.”
And what is her goal by the end of her term? “That more students look at the SU and say — yeah, they helped me this year.”
It’s not the most dramatic vision — no sweeping ideological revolution, no aggressive dismantling of the system. But maybe that’s the point. Saskia McCormack-Eiffe isn’t pretending she’ll change everything. She just wants to get stuff done.
Jack Donlon – Co-Editor
