A number of Instagram posts by the campaign to re-open nominations (RON) for the editor of The University Times have been archived, following instructions from the Junior Dean.
The page is part of a campaign against the sole candidate for the role, Mairead Maguire, following allegations of journalistic misconduct published by Trinity News.
Maguire has repeatedly said that the allegations are “wholly false and defamatory”.
In a statement to The University Times, Maguire said: “I am glad that the posts have been taken down. They contained misinformation and were deeply personal. As a student, they were hurtful to read.”
“Speaking to students and having the support of my campaign team are what kept me going during this difficult time. I look forward to what’s left of election season and I am really grateful for the support thus far”, she added.
In a statement to this newspaper, the RON campaign said: “We archived posts on the JD’s request, and will comply with any investigation necessary.”
“We have all been personally detrimentally affected by the Deputy Editor’s reporting but are still willing to work with others and hear out alternative perspectives”, the statement said.
The option to vote to re-open nominations is available in all union leadership races. The last time a formal campaign to re-open nominations for a sabbatical race was in 2019.
Maguire is the paper’s current deputy editor, though she has temporarily stepped down from that role to run for election.
She is running on a platform of maintaining the current standards of journalism in The University Times, though she has said she wants to make the paper more accessible and approachable.
She intends to start a mentorship program for LBGTQ+ writers and writers with disabilities, with a semester of mentorship dedicated to each cohort.
Voting for this year’s Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) elections opened yesterday, and will close tomorrow afternoon, with results announced tomorrow evening. Students must have registered in advance to vote, and have been sent voting links via email.
In-person campaigning was suspended for two days last week following the tragic death of a student on campus.
