Leanna Byrne | Editor
This evening, Trinity College Dubin students voted yes to both the reform and retention of the Seanad and to support the legislation of Same Sex Marriage in Ireland.
The Seanad referendum had a total turnout of 1,991 with 103 spoils and 1,888 valid ballots. The yes side surpassed the 946 vote quota after the first count after receiving 1,342 yes votes. There was 546 no votes and 103 spoils.
Cearbhaill Turraoin, campaign manager for the ‘Yes To Reform, No To Abolition’ side of the referendum told The University Times that he was “very happy with the result”.
“Thank you to everyone who came out and voted for and against. Thank you to William Quill and everyone who campaigned on the no side. I would also like to that the Students’ Union and the Electoral Commission for their hard work this evening. They all did a very good job.”
Turraoin is is looking forward to a no vote tomorrow in the national referendum and believes that “over the last couple of days the polls have shown a very strong yes side for the government, but most of that support has been based on a figure that has been shown to be false. I would expect the support for the abolition of the Seanad to collapse by voting day tomorrow.”
Despite the result tomorrow, Turraoin will still be campaigning for a second chamber and expects Trinity College Students’ Union (TCDSU) to support that mandate.
“I don’t care for the chamber we have at the moment, I want it reformed. Even if there wasn’t any Seanad chamber I would want one created that is democratically elected by the entire country and I would want the Students’ Union to implement this mandate to campaign for a second chamber.”
Tom Lenihan, President of TCDSU respects the decision of the student body and will campaign for the reform of the Seanad if it exists past Friday.
The referendum to include “TCDSU supports the legislation of Same Sex Marriage in Ireland” in the SU’s long term policy had overwhelming support with 1,854 yes votes, 155 no votes and 33 spoils. There were 2,009 valid votes in total and the vote easily passed the first count with a quota of 1,005.
Stephen Hatton, campaign manager for the yes side of the Same Sex Marriage referendum and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Tran* Rights Officer (LGBTRO) for the Students’ Union wanted to thank all the students who came out and voted yes in this referendum. He felt that the result ensures that the SU maintains a strong position of support for the marriage equality movement and it remains a loud ally to the queer community in Ireland.
“I would also like to thank the no side of the campaign for its non-existence,” said Hatton. “I am certain that this referendum result and inclusion of support for the support of same sex marriage legislation in Ireland in TCDSU’s long term policy will position our union as a leader of Irish colleges when campaigning for, and making, same sex marriage a reality in Ireland.”
