The proposed motion mandates that Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) hold a referendum to decide whether they should leave Aontas na Mac Léinn ni Éirinn (AMLÉ), with which it has been affiliated since 1959, unless certain structural amendments are achieved. The motions notes an alleged lack of financial transparency in AMLÉ’s governance and a lack of engagement among the general student body. The mandate calls for a reform of AMLÉ’s “long-standing issues of accountability, transparency, and democratic participation”.
Additionally, the motion cites a “lack of meaningful action” by AMLÉ on issues including the increase in Student Contribution fees, the cost of living crisis, housing crisis, and supports for student careers, parents, workers and students with disabilities; fair conditions for student nurses and midwives, and evacuations and supports for Palestinian students.
The motion critiques that AMLÉ Comhdháil has failed to introduce nationwide universal student suffrage in AMLÉ Coiste Gnó elections, create accountability and oversight protocols (despite assistance being offered by member organisations, including AMLCT/TCDSU).
The motion additionally cites that it has been over a decade since the last referendum to assess support for continued membership, and is this “appropriate for students to be given the opportunity to reconsider AMLCT/TCDSU’s affiliation”.
The proposer of this motion, Seán Radcliffe, explained the motion was brought forth because AMLÉ didn’t do anything and still costs students every year. Radcliffe said they had put forth a “set of demands” that AMLÉ would have to fulfil. Additionally, Trinity was one of the few universities in Ireland that didn’t vote to renew its membership annually or biannually.
Hugh Ó Ríordáin used a procedural motion to amend the motion, changing the motion to change a recommendation to a mandate for the Students’ Union and that the referendum would be changed to being brought forth by the President rather than the Sabbatical Board. A final amendment was proposed that would add a paragraph stating: “Comhairle further mandates that in the event of a disaffiliation from AMLÉ, the Sabbatical Board will liaise with other Students’ Unions establishing an alternative national student representative structure”. This was met by voices from audience members expressing their intention to object immediately. Ó Ríordáin said in favor of this that AMLÉ may be problematic but “some kind of national student representative” is needed. He added that: “We need an organisation that can represent all students in the country of some kind”. Grace McNally spoke against this amendment saying “AMLÉ absolutely sucks, it’s a terrible organisation”, and that the establishment of an alternative body wouldn’t be necessary to create direct competition. Ó Ríordáin raised a point of information, clarifying that the intention of his proposed amendment is not necessarily the establishment of a new union per se, but rather some organised structure that could take other forms. Pól Ó hÍomhair spoke in favor of the amendment. Deirdre Leahy argued against, stating that this referendum would only lead to Trinity being out of AMLÉ and not other Colleges, making it difficult to liaise with other universities. The final amendment failed to pass.
There were a variety of speakers both in favour and against the motion as a whole, including Chris Petrovsky and Pól Ó hÍomhair speaking against and McNally and Natalie Byrne speaking in favour. One speaker speaking against the motion due to the final amendment not being approved argued that AMLÉ was the means through which TCDSU communicated with the government but was corrected by a speaker in favour of the motion that it wasn’t the “sole” way of relations with the government. Additionally, a speaker against argued on the basis of the message it would send to “all the other Students Unions in the country.” This was corrected by Eve Martin with a point of information and by another speaker in favour, that not all students unions in the country were a part of AMLÉ.
The motion was summed up by Sean Radcliffe after a procedural motion to sum up and move to a vote. “It is just abuse, abuse, abuse, we get from these organizations,” Radcliffe concluded with.
The motion passed, meaning that a referendum will be brought to the Comhairle in February of 2027 for disaffiliation with AMLÉ, should structural amendments fail to be made by the end of January that year. Should disaffiliation occur, the Sabbatical Officer Board will develop a transition plan to “ensure continuity of services, campaigns, and representation previously facilitated through AMLÉ structures”.
Additionally, the President and Education Officer will hold an open forum or a series of town halls in advance of the referendum for students to ask questions to representatives of the Sabbatical Officer Board and AMLÉ regarding the motion.
If the referendum passes with a majority, the Long-Term Policy of AMLÉ membership will be removed from the Constitution, and the Sabbatical Officer Board will take the necessary measures to disaffiliate by the 2027/28 academic year.
