Trinity’s sports clubs will have to wait until next year to hear what the impact coronavirus will have on budgetary allocation, with Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) unsure about how much the pandemic will affect its financial situation
In an email statement to The University Times, DUCAC chairperson Jemil Saidi said: “The situation is very fluid and we need to adapt as and when we need too, there are various scenarios being planned for but the one thing we know is that we will continue to offer as much support as we can to all clubs.”
Saidi said that he was unable to comment on how the virus will affect College’s budgetary allocation to DUCAC “until the capitation committee meets at the beginning of the new academic year”.
The University Times attempted to contact DUCAC’s senior treasurer, John Bolton, with questions about the body’s finances, but he declined to disclose his contact details.
DUCAC, one of College’s five capitated bodies, received €354,744 in capitated income from Trinity last year.
Trinity has expressed fears over a significant drop in income in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
This week, The University Times reported that Trinity has set up an emergency group tasked with preparing measures to manage the financial risks to the College of the virus.
Trinity has implemented a recruitment freeze on staff hiring due to the “significant financial consequences” of the coronavirus. It’s not yet clear what other steps the group will seek to take in order to offset the College’s financial losses.
Last week, College confirmed that it is set to lose out on up to €40 million in commercial revenue in this year alone.
Speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk last month, Provost Patrick Prendergast said that “education shouldn’t be way down the list” when it comes to state funding priorities, adding: “We’d be saying it’s just not good enough that education – third-level, secondary or primary – should be way down the list.”
