This week, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) held a referendum concerning Long Term Policy Against Militarisation. The results were announced at 6pm, on Friday, the 27th of March.
The referendum passed, with 483 students, 69.4% of participants voting yes, 213 (30.6%) voting no, and 39 abstaining.
According to the impartial summary of the referendum, should it pass “the Union would take a long-term stance in opposition to the removal of the ‘Triple Lock’ through the Defence Amendment Bill, and commit itself to actively promoting anti-militarism.”
The referendum text states that “the students of Trinity College Dublin condemn and oppose imperialist militarism and Ireland’s participation in such processes” and mandates the TCDSU to “publicly state its opposition to prospective government removal of the ‘Triple Lock’ through the Defence Amendment Bill, and commit itself to actively promoting anti-militarism […] Strive to raise awareness of the issue among students and the wider public. Endeavour to aid processes of coalition-building, by liaising and collaborating with other student unions, trade unions and grassroots student and working-class organisations, so that this issue of vital student interest may be engaged with in an actionable manner.”
735 students in total voted in the referendum, with the polls open from 10am on the 26th of March, to 4pm on the 27th of March.
