Content Warning: This article makes references to sexual violence.
On April 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2025, a controversial campaign from the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT) during Sexual Assault Awareness month turned into a major controversy. The campaign sparked an official apology from the Union, an Instagram campaign calling for their resignation, a town hall, and ultimately, the censure of then-President Jenny Maguire and then-Welfare & Equality Officer Hamza Bana.
Many students criticised the action, including then President-elect Seán Thim, who said the campaign “endeavoured to exclude the dissenting student body” and that it “retraumatised survivors”, adding “our President has caused untold harm to our members”.
During the Extraordinary Council Meeting on April 10th, which was called to bring the motion of censure against Maguire and Bana, it was also mandated that the SU’s Oversight Commission (OC) would launch an official investigation into the action. The report was published in the agenda of Comhairle 2, set to take place on November 4th, and declared that “While the impeachment is no longer possible as the officers have left office, the OC would have recommended that an impeachment referendum be carried out as the severity of the breaches warrants students being able to decide if this conduct merits impeachment of the officers.”
The report charts the timeline of events, which outlines that the initial idea was proposed on January 27th, and further descended into several smaller committees outside of Union Forum (UF), which is TCDSU’s campaign steering committee. The report states that members were also urged not to speak to the press and were warned against the actions several times, with the hanging of effigies specifically discouraged.
The report goes on to outline the breaches of the TCDSU/AMLCT constitution. They include, first, Maguire allegedly failing to be transparent with UF on campaigns and concealing the campaign from the Chair of Comhairle (breaching sections 4.8.1(a) and 3.4.3(b)). Second, that Maguire failed to include details of the campaigns in her reports to Comhairle (breaching section 3.4.2(c)). Third, that Maguire and Bana failed to seek advice from the then-Gender Equality Officer on the campaign (breaching section 3.3.2(c)). Fourth, generally breaching their duty of care by displaying potentially damaging imagery (effigies) and “undermin[ing] the welfare of students” (breaching sections 3.4.5(a), 3.4.5(d), 3.4.2(a), and 1.5(c)). Fifth, the OC found that when Bana posted students’ anonymous confessions publicly, he breached his duty to maintain confidentiality (breaching sections 1.5 and 3.4.5(d)). The Welfare & Equality Officer is also mandated by a duty of care and the promotion of wellness, and the OC said Bana “did not take reasonable measures to reduce the harm of this campaign”. Sixth, the OC found both Bana and Maguire in breach of the constitution through the creation of sub-groups that did not submit minutes or report back to UF.
However, the OC did not find a violation in allegations that Maguire did not “stop” Bana, and therefore did not find a breach in that case.
The OC ended its report saying it wished “to remind members to be aware of their duties, mandates and responsibilities under the Constitution and to contact the OC if they have any queries regarding this”.
The OC cannot bring actual motions (eg., impeachment or censure) to Comhairle and can only make recommendations. The report also notes that it was brought to the second Comhairle of the year, dwelling on internal challenges due to a lack of capacity, the OC further stated that “there have been past issues with the OC’s failure in fulfilling its duties due to lack of members”. The OC currently has three members.
Finally, the report emphasised that “open communication of campaigns should take place at the Union Forum and other Union bodies. Campaigns should not be kept as secrets.”
Maguire and Bana did not respond for comment.
