The sixth Comhairle of the year opened at 6:33pm on the evening of March 10th.
After the approval of minutes, the Comhairle passed to the Sabbatical Reports. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT) President Grace McNally gave an update on St James’s Café, stating that the SU got a confirmation on the space ownership, and is now looking into funding opinions for refurbishment. She also mentioned the work on better mental health supports for students (especially healthcare students, working unpaid), stating that her proposal for an external group for 24/7 support was approved, and work on it will go forward in May. She also mentioned Monday’s walkout on sexual violence, which was a “huge success” and a first official walkout of the sexual violence taskorce stating “it was great to use that task force”. She also mentioned a letter on image-based sexual violence, which was sent and is now under review.
Education Officer Buster Whaley then reported on the modular repeats working group, stating he is “very optimistic […] this is all being considered with the attitude that these are changes that are going to happen”. He also mentioned the first-ever fully online sabbatical elections, which broke voter turnout records. Whaley also mentioned that the Student Partnership agreement is to be brought to the University Council tomorrow. Deidre Leahy, Welfare & Equality Officer, then delivered her report. She highlighted her work with the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) during the elections, as well as Mnárta, encouraging people to sign up and raise money for women’s issues. She also thanked all the people who came to the aforementioned walkout. The Communications and Marketing Officer, Channing Kehoe, then gave an update on class representatives hoodies. She mentioned “successful interest in the barista training” offered for free by the SU, stating that she hopes to do another one because of the interest. Orla Norton, Ents Officer, stated that since last Comhairle nearly €10,000 was raised for various charities, with the Wedding raising over €6,500. She also urged students to keep an eye out for Mnárta events this month. Next, Oifigeach na Gaeilge Aoife Ní Bhriain mentioned the Careers Fair this week for people concerned with Irish language adjacent careers. Norton then elaborated on a new working group, to look at the Irish language goals in the strategic plan for the college and “set out some tangible goals”. Charlie Hastings, University Times Editor, in his report, mentioned the amount of election coverage last month as well as the University Times being shortlisted for 10 awards at the National Student Media awards.
The first motions proposed were concerned with honorary memberships of the TCDSU. Every year during the sixth Comhairle the union awards four honorary memberships. The first motion was to award Martin McAndrew with the membership, for his role in the Postgraduate Advisory Service, especially during the recent works on the integration of postgrads into the SU. The motion passed unanimously, and McAndrew was presented with flowers by Norton, as he thanked the Comhairle.
Mick Byrne, working in Security in the Hamilton Building, was offered the honorary membership for his “respect and kindness towards all Student Union matters”, such as helping with setting up campaigning tables and polling stations, lecture halls for Comhairles, faculty assemblies, and emergency town halls. Whaley, who proposed the motion, stated that he “was trying to think of people who contribute to the benefit of Trinity students, improving the day-to-day”. The motion passed unanimously, and Byrne was also given flowers.
Next, Rachel Skelly (not present at Comhairle) from the Dignity, Respect, and Consent office was also awarded the honorary membership for her “invaluable support” to various Welfare & Equality Officers, as well as the Student’s Union. Finally, Aoife Grimes from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, and previous Gender Equality Officer in TCDSU, was also unanimously awarded the honorary membership for her support and work around sexual violence, signposting, advocacy, and providing training to members of Union Forum. McNally proposing the motion underlined that “[Grimes] was able to create such a welcoming and safe space to union members” during the retraining earlier this year.
As motions passed in Comhairle expire after two full years of implementation, motions that passed in 23/24 are set to expire. Thus, the next motion proposed was an Omnibus renewal for 2023/24 motions. Multiple motions were included in the renewal, and Leahy, speaking in support of the motion, underlined its importance. The motion passed unanimously. Similarly, the motion on 25/26 Motion Renewals also passed. Whaley, who proposed the motion, stressed that “we better not let them expire”.
Next, the motion on TCPID integration and elections was brought to Comhairle by Deidre Leahy, Welfare & Equality Officer. The motion mandates the Welfare & Equality Officer and the Officer for Students with Disabilities to work with the Education Officer to set up class reelections for TCPID. It also mandates the officers to meet with the staff of TCPID before sabbatical elections so they can set up a meeting with the students about the elections to inform them of the process and the candidates. It also mandates the Sabbatical Board to host one other outreach session in the year to further the integration of these students into the union beyond mere governance formalities. Leahy stated that the TCPID staff was “very enthusiastic” about the motion and after moving to voting, the motion passed.
The motion on the International Student Handbook was then brought to Comhairle by Aman Bansal, International Officer. Recognising the increasing number of international students at Trinity every year, the motion mandates the International Officer “to create and maintain an International Student Handbook providing clear, practical guidance for international students during their first three months in Ireland”. The proposer underlined that “we have the resources, but there is no structure”. The motion passed.
The motion on the Establishment of a National Network of Student Representatives, which would mandate the President and International Student Office to work towards the establishment of a National Network of International Student Representatives, connecting international student officers and representatives across Irish universities, also passed. Bansal, the proposer, mentioned his own personal experience with immigration issues, stating that the Network would be used to “share best practices and address common grievances”.
The motion on workshops on Employment and Student Rights was then brought to Comhairle, recognising the number of students who seek part-time employment during their time at Trinity. The motion would mandate the International student officer in liaison with the Welfare Officer to organise quarterly or biannual workshops focused on finding part-time employment safely and effectively, as well as employment rights and legal protections in Ireland. Bansal, the proposer, stated that “there is no structure; it is a random luck-based process” and that many students face discrimination in their workplace. The motion passed.
The motion on Accessibility to Irish Language Spaces was then proposed by Hugh Ó Ríordáin, the Undergraduate Convenor of the School of Languages, Literature and Culture. The motion would mandate the Education Officer to campaign and lobby for a lift and toilets to be provided for Seomra na Gaeilge, as well as an all-Irish-language space in the new Student Centre, and ensure that Irish language services and events are available to Trinity students who study off campus. Pól Ó hÍomhair, Junior Sophister Irish Language Class Representative, then proposed to amend the motion to remove the mandate for the creation of an all-Irish-language space in the new Student Centre, as it conflicts with one of the upcoming mandates. The amendment passed. Ó hÍomhair and Aoife Ní Bhriain then spoke in favour of the motion, with Ní Bhriain underlining the work herself and the previous Oifigeach na Gaeilge have done on the issue. The motion passed.
An amendment to the Terms of Reference of the Archival Committee to include a Secretary position was proposed by Eimear O’Hagan, Single Honours Senior Sophister Class Representative, who acknowledged the need for a secretary to keep minutes and help the Archival Committee. The motion passed.
Aoife Ní Bhriain proposed a motion for a campaign for more modules through Irish, as well as the creation of an accessible Irish language space in the new Student Center and the audit of the Irish language signage once a year. She stressed that she “would like to formalise these goals” to help the transition for the next Irish Language Officer next year. The motion passed.
Next, the motion on Open Fora was proposed to be amended to include at least two town-hall style open fora every year, to engage students and foster a more welcoming SU environment. Whaley, the proposer, urged the Comhairle to support the motion, and the amendment passed.
The motion on the Continued Condemnation of the STARS (STAFF TIME ATTENDANCE ROTA SYSTEM) Clock-In System in St. James’s Hospital Placement was then proposed by SU President Grace McNally. The motion was an important part of her manifesto back in November. The STARS clock-in/clock-out system is used for nursing students on clinical placement in St. James’s Hospital, creating “a highly rigid attendance monitoring system”. Students have raised concerns “that the system is punitive in nature and does not adequately reflect the realities of clinical education placements”, underlining that nursing students on placement are students undertaking mandatory clinical education, not employees. McNally mentioned a condemnation earlier in the year, stating “we’ve all been working really hard on that, and it’s been really, really difficult”. She also stated she wants “health science students to know that the union will continue to work for them”, acknowledging that the work will mostly include more lobbying, and the creation of a handover document updating the future Sabbats on the progress. The motion passed.
McNally further proposed a motion mandating the continuation of work to reopen the SU Café in St. James’s Hospital, another one of her manifesto promises. She underlined that “representing the health science students is a really big priority for [her]”. She also acknowledged that the cafe was the “hardest thing in the world to reopen”, urging people to “vote if [they] love health science students”. Leahy then spoke in favour of the motion, drawing on her personal experience in St. James’s. McNally ended her speech in favour by saying “watch this space, health students, and get ready for a full belly”. The motion passed. Similarly, the motion mandating the Organisation of a Freshers’ Fair on the St. James’s Campus also passed, with McNally stressing that “this would be something easy to do” and that it is something she previously had tried to do in September, but failed. Later, McNally, responding to a question asked by University Times, also mentioned that health science first years start classes earlier than other degree students, so that freshers week happens during their teaching, hence the need for a freshers fair in St. James’s.
The Comhairle then moved to the first discussion item on issues with the Erasmus system. Hugh Ó Ríordáin brought the discussion item to the Comhairle, as the College has suspended new Erasmus partnerships until 2027 because of funding issues, and they want to decentralise a large amount of the administrative work onto the schools. As the proposer wasn’t in the room, and no one wanted to speak, the item was dropped off the agenda.
Next, Aaron Groome, chair of the Oversight Committee (OC), brought the OC Checklisting Report to Comhairle. McNally posed a question asking “how did we do?” and “any censures coming?”, to which the room responded with laughter, and Groome urged her to read the report, jokingly stating that no censures are coming unless a procedural motion is raised. Groome then brought the OC Report on extant Part-Time Officerships to Comhairle.
Armstrong then introduced members of the Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) present at Comhairle, who came to speak about upcoming elections. She explained that a university-wide vote chooses delegates who then go to the AMLÉ elections to vote on behalf of Trinity. Daniel Walsh, Dublin Regional Officer of AMLÉ, was invited onstage and stated that he is now running for president of AMLÉ “because we need our national union […] that would be strong, that will be a leader and that will fight for you on the big issues”. He mentioned the accommodation crisis, “a genuine existential dread […] already locking people out of college”. Walsh stated that he’s asking for votes and for trust to be put into people in Student Unions around the country. Pádraig Mac Brádaigh, Trinity’s inaugural Irish Language Officer, was then invited onstage, stating that he is “running again to build on foundations started last year”. He stressed the importance of the Irish Language, stating that “Trinity is a shining example of the most bilingual union in the country”.
Walsh then came back to give his update on AMLÉ as Dublin Regional Representative. He mentioned the cost of college survey, the Affordable Ireland Campaign, Student Impact Awards, European Students’ Convention and Gaelollscolaiocht.
Seán Radcliffe, a Class Representative, then mentioned the studentsurvey.ie survey.
The Comhairle came to an end at 8:05pm, with Armstrong reminding the participants that the next Comhairle will take place on March 24th.
Additional reporting by Charlie Swan, Lotta Scheffel, Henry Brown, Weronika Brzecheffa, and Jules Nati
