Students in the University of Galway will debate disaffiliation from USI tonight, in a move which could lead to a full disaffiliation referendum this semester. The debate, organised by the UG Law Society, follows a private member's motion tabled at the society before Christmas calling for disaffiliation from the national union. That motion was passed and it was subsequently decided to put the motion to a full debate.

"If the motion is passed, we have decided to collect the signatures needed and press for a referendum," says Oliver Begley-Wall, debates convenor of the Law Society. The pro-disaffiliation lobby sees parallels between UG's situation and that of UCD, where late last year students voted to disaffiliate from USI amid concerns that the national union was not meeting the needs of larger colleges and did not represent value for money. Another factor in the debate is the success of the students' unions in UCC and TCD, which are not affiliated to USI yet which enjoy some of best student facilities in the State.

While participants had not been confirmed at the time of writing, the anti-disaffiliation side is likely to be represented by UG students' union president Darren McCallig and a number of USI officers. Interestingly, among the USI representatives likely to speak are deputy president Helen Ryan, union development officer Dermot Quain and education officer Malcolm Byrne, each of whom is a possible candidate for the USI presidency this year.

Anti-disaffiliation speakers are likely to include leading lights from the UCD disaffiliation campaign as well as representatives from UCC and UL. The debate takes place in the Cairnes Theatre tonight at 8 p.m.