Trinity Sport and the Pavillion Bar (the Pav) have had to undergo significant layoffs following financial hardships as a result of the pandemic.
Speaking at the Dublin University Central Athletics Club (DUCAC) AGM, Michelle Tanner said: “COVID has impacted many of us, and has impacted our staff. We have lost a number of core and casual support staff with contracts due for a renewal and there being a recruitment freeze.”
“Our staff has been incredible, allowing us to continue carrying out our programs”, Tanner added.
The lay-offs come following severe financial strain for Trinity Sport on account of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as well as Bank of Ireland ending their sponsorship agreement last June.
Trinity Sport will also have suffered financially with the forced shuttering of their sports facilities due to nation-wide level-five restrictions. Last week Trinity Sport announced that they would freeze all membership subscriptions to cover the Sports Centre’s closure.
The Pav also suffered layoffs. Its full-time staff was moved onto the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme until August after it closed on March 13th.
The College informed the Pav that it would be able to reopen. Level-three restrictions introduced in September, however, meant that the bar had to remain closed and keep its staff laid off.
In her briefing at the DUCAC AGM, Tanner also described this year as “challenging and difficult”. However, she was complimentary of Trinity Sport’s efforts in continuing to carry out sporting programs prior to the recent lockdown: “We have proved that we can run sports events and training safely. Obviously level five impacts us significantly.”
She further emphasised that over the last six months the Trinity Sport staff and team have been “highly motivated” with implementing the virtual programs.
Continuing, Tanner remarked how there has been, “notable engagements since September with the launch of the new Trinity Sport App, and there has been high engagement in the virtual freshers fair and the social media platforms”.
Tanner also declared that the temporary repairs, costing €25,000 for the swimming pool, have been finished and the pool will be ready to reopen on December 1st, if restrictions allow it. Tanner expressed gratitude toward DUCAC for applying pressure on College to get this done.
