[3][2][4] The union was founded in 1975 as the successor of the Student Representative Council, with Enda Connolly acting as the organisation's first president.
In addition to its campaign work, the Union also provides a number of welfare and education services and operates three shops.
The union has been involved in several social changes in Ireland – including selling condoms from 1979, when the sale of contraceptives without a prescription was still illegal.
In 1988, the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (Spuc) threatened the union with legal action if information on abortion was published in its welfare guide.
A 2012 audit found shoddy financial practices devoid of checks and balances since 2007, racking up €1.4m in debt including nearly €400,000 in liability to the tax authorities,[14] ultimately requiring a bailout from UCD.
[16] The organisation has had a "rocky relationship" with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), disaffiliating and reaffiliating several times over the years.
[citation needed] The president and two nominated vice-presidents, as agreed by the executive, are student representatives on the UCD Governing Authority.