Today, both referendums from the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT) on the Irish Language passed, with the Long-Term Policy Ghael-Ollscolaíocht referendum garnering 88 per cent of the vote (1601 in favour, 207 opposed) and the Constitutional Referendum on the Quality of Irish Translations garnering 90.5 per cent of the vote (1687 in favour, 177 opposed). Long-term policy referendums require 60 per cent to pass, and Constitutional referendums require 50 per cent to pass. 4900 students voted across referendums and class representative elections, which were held at the same time, which is another record for voter turnout in the union’s known election history. Results were announced by former TCDSU/AMLCT Education Officer Buster Whaley.
The Ghael-Ollscolaíocht referendum is a long-term policy mandating TCDSU/AMLCT to lobby the university to increase the number of courses and classes offered in Irish, as well as additional rights for Irish-speaking students. The second referendum is a constitutional amendment seeking to improve the quality of Irish translations.
The passage of the first referendum will add to the mandate of the Irish Officer, who this year is Mary Kate Ní Artáin. TCDSU/AMLCT will lobby for college support of the establishment of a national institution for Ghael-Ollscolaíocht, increasing the number of courses available in Irish; electives in the Irish language in all courses; the option for students to submit dissertations and assignments in Irish. The passing of the second referendum will result in an amendment of Section 3.4.8.h) with the added terminology “[…] to the standards of intelligibility, clarity, and terminological precision as the English versions, in consultation with the appropriate Union bodies”. This is in addition to what already exists: “To manage and ensure the Irish translation of Union communications both internally and externally.”
Both referendums were put to vote following the last Comhairle of the year last year on March 24th. The referendum was brought up by and was run by Pól Ó hÍomhair who ran Hugh Ó Ríordáin’s Irish Officer campaign at the end of last year.
