Leanna Byrne | Editor
Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) received 250 signatures from students calling for a referendum on the Union’s stance on direct provision for asylum seekers. This will make a total of seven referendums held by TCDSU this year.
The Electoral Commission (EC) received the signatures yesterday evening and verified them earlier this morning.
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The wording of the referendum will ask students:
“Do you support including the following in TCDSU’s long term-policy?:
TCDSU shall campaign
- To abolish the system of direct provision for asylum seekers
- For its replacement by self-catered accommodation and the right to work for asylum seekers who have not had their applications processed after six months
- For the government to sign up to the EU Receptions Conditions Directive setting down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers
Commenting on the called referendum, Education Officer Jack Leahy was positive about the high number of referendums this year, saying “that students have called for an unprecedented seven referenda in a single academic year is a clear indication that students are confident in their Union’s capacity both to represent them on issues and to affect change positive within the organisation itself.
“A lot of work is required to ensure that both votes and sufficient information campaigns can happen within this academic year, but I’m absolutely confident that the EC can deliver just that. This is the fourth different polling occasion in the academic year and they’ve handled the responsibility excellently.”
The referendum will be held concurrently with a referendum on the the adoption of a new constitution on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th March.
