The Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) is currently a member of Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ, formerly USI, the Union of Students in Ireland), which is the national representative body of students’ unions in Ireland. AMLÉ is a member of the European Students’ Union (ESU), which is an internationally representative body composed of national organisations like AMLÉ in Europe. The National Union of Israeli Students (NUIS) is also an ESU member.
Because TCDSU is a member of AMLÉ, every student at Trinity pays €8 per year to support the organisation and advance TCDSU’s collaboration with them. Last year, AMLÉ paid €10,625 in dues to ESU.
At Comhairle in March of 2026, TCDSU voted to bring a referendum on AMLÉ membership if certain demands were not met. The demands include the creation of a democratic censure protocol for elected AMLÉ officers, the establishment of an “active, efficient, and effective Oversight and Accountability Commission”, the passing of a motion requiring that financial reports be published at least two weeks in advance of Comhdháil, engagement campaigns for class representatives and part-time officers of university level students’ unions, increasing time given to Comhdháil delegates to question reports and activities of officers, to create open and accessible channels for regular student questioning and accountability, and to publish a report on the efficacy and selection of the AMLÉ steering committee. If TCDSU’s demands of AMLÉ are not met by the end of January 2027, a referendum to the student body on TCDSU affiliation will be held.
None of the demands mention AMLÉ compliance with BDS. Furthermore, in the official Semester 2 TCDSU BDS compliance report, the only areas for progress listed were the continued use of Google Workspace, the use of Coke products in the SU shop and cafe, and the TCDSU’s general lack of financial transparency.
It is important to note that, in 2023, when AMLÉ as a whole adopted a pro-BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) stance, they mandated: “That the USI Coiste Gnó call on the European Students Union (ESU) to re-evaluate the membership of Israel and support any Palestinian efforts to engage with ESU.” Further, they mandated “That the USI Coiste Gnó to boycott Israeli corporations, institutions and companies and their products that are currently used by, or have relations with, the USI.”
The motion expired this year, and was replaced with stronger wording: “It is unconscionable for any third-level education institution to continue to invest in the arms trade, have links with Israel and be complicit in the violent occupation and dispossession of the Palestinian people.” It kept the BDS mandate, and added: “That the AMLÉ Coiste Gnó continue their work over the past few years to call on the European Students Union (ESU) to push for the rebuilding of academic and academia institutions within Palestine and support any efforts by Palestinian students or Palestinian student organisations to engage with ESU, EHEA, Council of Europe and other relevant bodies.”
Over three years later, NUIS remains a member of the ESU. Notably, NUIS garnered national attention in June of 2024 when they partnered with right-wing Israeli politician, Ofir Katz, to attempt to advance legislation that would require the immediate dismissal (without compensation) of university lecturers who spoke in ways perceived as going against Israel’s existence or for “supporting terrorism”. The proposal was called “McCarthyist” by the Association of University Heads in Israel.
At the last ESU board meeting, about one month ago, NUIS claimed on LinkedIn: “Even in the face of a hostile atmosphere, baseless accusations and attempts to silence us, we stood there on the front line. Our anti-Semitism bill won a 58% majority, but was rejected by a few votes. That didn’t stop us: we continued to act, talk and work behind the scenes” (Translated from original: “גם מול אווירה עוינת, האשמות מופרכות וניסיונות להשתיק אותנו, עמדנו שם בקו הראשון. הצעת האנטישמיות שלנו זכתה לרוב של 58%, אך נפסלה על חודם של קולות בודדים. זה לא עצר אותנו: המשכנו לפעול, לדבר ולעבוד מאחורי הקלעים”). When the University Times reached out to ESU to ask about the content of the bill and the minutes from the board meeting, ESU stated they were not able to share “unapproved” “internal documents”, apparently confirming NUIS was not permitted to share voting outcomes.
ESU is also partnered with the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS), who, in July of 2024, voted to restrain from collaboration with anti-Zionist Jewish organisations. Furthermore, in August of 2025, they voted to affirm “a proud Zionist and European Jewish Student Identity”.
Speaking to the University Times, AMLÉ President, Daniel Walsh said, “AMLÉ have consistently used that platform to champion the cause of Palestine, pushing for a unified European stance in support of the Palestinian people. Working with our allies across the network, we’ve been able to pass a number of motions on the topic, such as ESU’s resolution on safeguarding Palestinian students’ right to education, and on easing visa-based access to study abroad for Palestinian students.”
“This year, we were glad to see ESU make a commitment, through their annual Plan of Work, to support Palestinian students, condemning violations of their fundamental rights, and working to co-ordinate safe pathways for Palestinian students to continue their education in Europe.”
He added, “AMLÉ’s membership of ESU is constitutionally enshrined, so any discussions surrounding our exit from ESU would have to happen at Comhdháil. My personal opinion would be that AMLÉ have played a really important role in shaping the work of ESU over the past few years, pushing them to adopt a stronger position on Palestine, but also on other issues, such as the importance of student welfare, and the social dimension of Higher Education.”
He further stated: “If we want the organisation to change for the better, we should be in the room trying to guide that change. However, the question of our continued membership is ultimately one for our members to decide.”
Speaking specifically on NUIS, Walsh said, “We do not believe that NUIS should be a member of the European Students’ Union. This is a position that we’ve made clear in the past, and one that we will continue to argue through ESU’s membership reassessment processes.”
The University Times also asked TCDSU President Amy Kennedy about AMLÉ’s ESU membership, specifically on AMLÉ’s progress on ousting NUIS from ESU, whether the membership was a factor in TCDSU’s adherence to BDS, and its lack of inclusion in Trinity BDS’s compliance report, to which she commented: “We believe AMLÉ can always do more to further their BDS stance. The upcoming referendum does not include BDS policy adherence, so whether the referendum passes through comhairle does not indicate anything regarding ESU and NUIS. We believe NUIS should not be in the European Students Union, and would support AMLÉ taking action against their membership. Contributions towards the ESU are not used to support member national organisations, but instead cover the cost of the ESU’s operations at a European political level.”
Speaking for Trinity BDS, Chair Seán Radcliffe reaffirmed Kennedy’s statement.
In 2014, TCDSU delegates brought forward a motion at AMLÉ Chomhdháil (then, USI Congress) on disaffiliation from the ESU, citing high costs and a lack of tangible benefit. The motion was defeated at the 2014 congress.
