Eight people have put their names forward for election for the five UCD Students’ Union sabbatical officer positions. With three of the candidates running unopposed, this year’s number of applicants is a major reduction on last year’s elections, which saw 14 people run for election.

Final year Social Science student Paul Lynam is the only candidate for the position of SU President. Lynam has previously worked as both UCDSU Education Vice-President and Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Eastern Area Officer.

Two candidates are seeking the position of Campaigns & Communications Vice-President: final year Arts student Colm Maguire and second year Law student Pat de Brún. Both currently sit on the SU Executive, Maguire as LGBT Rights Officer and de Brún as Law Programme Officer.

Current Welfare Vice-President, History graduate Scott Ahearn is the sole candidate for Welfare Officer. This will be the third time that Ahearn has run for the position.

Education Vice-President is the most contested position, with three candidates seeking election to the role. Third year Science student and current Science Programme Officer James Williamson will be campaigning for election as will second year Law student John Logue and postgraduate Law student Lisa Henry, who is the only female candidate in this year’s elections.

The sole candidate for Entertainments Vice-President is final year Arts student Jonny Cosgrove, who has previously worked in Arts Society, St Vincent de Paul and with UCD Ents.

This year’s elections will take place on Wednesday 3^rd and Thursday 4^th March, and formal campaigning will begin next Monday. The Literary and Historical society will host a series of Hustings debates throughout the campaigning season. A Law Society debate which will question the relevance of the SU and the true motives of those who run for sabbatical election, will be held this evening (Tuesday).