Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) council tonight voted to support the introduction of a committee for students with a disability.
This motion was called for due to the increased workload of the Officer for Students with Disabilities since the introduction of a disability campaign week, as well as concerns about a single officer’s ability to represent all disabled members of the student community.
TCDSU Officer for Students with Disabilities Laura Beston proposed the motion.
Speaking at council, Beston said: “One person can’t represent everyone or all issues.” She said establishing a committee would help “get people involved” and “help people not to burn out”.
“This is going to help every Disability Officer that comes after me”, Beston said.
The committee will consist of five positions, including Beston. Candidates for the positions of Off-Campus Officer, Society Liaison Officer and two Ordinary Committee Members will be selected through an interview process with TCDSU Welfare Officer James Cunningham.
This is Beston’s second year as the union’s Officer for Students with Disabilities, having last year led a contingent of students to protest against the government’s failure to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. TCDSU is now mandated to lobby on the issue.
College is endeavouring to become more accessible to people with disabilities, installing concealed wheelchair lifts outside the Exam Hall and the Chapel earlier this year. Trinity is also exploring options aimed at providing wheelchair access to the 1937 Reading Room, the Graduates Memorial Building (GMB) and the Provost’s House.
