TCD STUDENTS' union is expected to announce its largest budget surplus in recent years, for the first part of 1996, later this month, leaving the union on target to eliminate its overall deficit entirely before the end of this year.

The surplus, estimated to be in the region of £12,000, represents a considerable triumph of financial management for the union, which has been labouring under debts for a number of years, a large portion of which were a result of the costs arising from the SPUC v Grogan abortion information case of the 1980s.

The surplus will also give the union the financial breathing space it requires to pay for its fifth sabbatical officer position, on which students will vote this Thursday.

The new position of deputy president/publicity officer will give TCD students' union the largest complement of full time officers in the country. The three candidates for the office are Stephen Cass, Barbara Collins and Paul Convery, all of whom have been involved with student publications in the past.

"The students' union has suffered major problems in the past with poor publicity and communication with students," said John Walsh, TCD students' union education officer. "The deputy president will be an officer who can devote all of his or her time to communication with students and improving the union's profile among the student population."

At the time of writing, signatures were also being collected for two referenda, one to pass regulations making the impeachment of students' union officers a less complicated matter than at present and a second referendum which would seek to abolish the position of postgraduate officer in the students' union, on the basis that the graduate students' union already adequately represents graduates. This motion may be opposed by some SU officers, who feel the union is responsible for the representation of all students, postgraduate or otherwise.