Sir, - I would like to reply to a letter from my fellow-student, Mr Brian Hughes, of December 29th. Amongst other things, he writes that "it is worth pointing out that Eoghan Mac Cormaic is a past president of UCGSU - a post which rarely if ever achieves a turnout of more than IS per cent on election day."
Mr Hughes' society, the Lit & Deb, and the Student Union share the same electorate of some 6,500 students by virtue of their constitutions. In my election last year the turnout of 29 per cent was recorded; approximately 1,900 students. Other recorded figures include in 1993, 34 per cent of the poll; in 1992, 38.5 per cent. This reveals a fundamental flaw in Mr Hughes's mathematics.
During the same period, the Lit & Deb has sadly also shown a falling interest amongst students. However, an average turnout at its elections of around 300 students - little more than 4.5 per, cent of the college student population - hardly justifies "Mar Hughes's allegation of Student Union officers being elected on "dubious electorate mandates". - Mise le meas,
Uachtaran/president, Students' Union, University College, Galway.