The University Times Editorial Board is officially calling on the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU/AMLCT) to provide students with the amount of Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) claimed by sabbatical officers in the 2025/26 academic year, and all years thereafter, once it becomes available.
TOIL is extra time worked by sabbatical officers, approved by the president, that can be taken as Paid Time Off (PTO). However, if left unclaimed, all of the time is paid out at the end of the year at a rate of €325 per week. The University Times examined the Union’s financial records, which are publicly available on the official website, though the most recently available financial data published is from the 2024/25 academic year. While data is not broken down per officer, on average in 2024/25, sabbatical officers claimed an average of 64 extra days worked. This equates to over one full extra working day every week for the entire year. This amounts to an extra ~€4,163 each, at an expense of €24,980 to the Union — not including extra time taken as PTO. In 2023/24, officers claimed an average of 58 days each (~€3,776) at a cost of €22,660 to the Union. Notably, neither of these figures includes the Oifigeach na Gaeilge, because the position is accounted for differently.
The University Times attempted to gain access to the amount of TOIL claimed by officers in the 2025/26 academic year and the current SU promised the lump figure by September of this year.
However, this week, the Union has reversed its position and is now refusing to provide the TOIL figures. This information will become publicly available once the TCDSU/AMLCT publishes its most recent financial audit, and all of it has already been paid out. Yet, the Union is refusing to provide the figures in a decision that the University Times was told came from an agreement among the current sabbatical officers.
Sabbatical Officers — the TCDSU/AMLCT President, Education Officer, Welfare & Equality Officer, Communications and Marketing Officer, Entertainments (Ents) Officer, the Oifigeach na Gaeilge, and the Graduate Officer, in addition to the Editor of the University Times — are among the most well-paid student leaders on campus. Every week, they are paid €325 as a salary, in addition to a €254.13 weekly housing allowance. This covers rent for on-campus accommodation for officers’ 52-week terms. This adds up to €30,114.76 per year. This does not include the new iPhone sabbatical officers get at the start of their term, which is €670, and the monthly €30 allowance for a phone plan, amounting to €360. TOIL is in addition to this.
The Editor of Trinity News, the Auditor of the College Historical Society (Hist), and the President of the University Philosophical Society (Phil), who also take a full year off from their studies to fulfil their duties, are either not paid or are meagrely compensated through stipends from third parties arranged by the society itself. None make enough to even cover housing.
We are not suggesting that it is wrong to pay students for the work they do; in an ideal world, all of these people would be paid fairly for their work. However, TCDSU/AMLCT sabbatical officers represent and are accountable to all students; it is important that they exercise financial transparency so students know exactly what they are paying for.
Theoretically, sabbatical officers report how much TOIL they accrue at Comhairle every month. However, this leaves out the time between the last Comhairle (which tends to be in the last week of March) and the end of June, when their terms finish. Furthermore, very few, if any, state a reason for working extra time or justify why it was necessary to fulfil their duties. Moreover, very few students even know what TOIL is, and do not ask questions about it.
TCDSU/AMLCT Officers are elected officials. By running for and winning an election, they accept the public scrutiny that comes with the role alongside the obvious social benefits. The University Times believes that it is TCDSU/AMLCT’s ethical obligation to fairly and accurately report extra time claimed at the end of the year as soon as it is available, and is deeply disappointed that the current SU has reneged on their promise and refused to release the figure for last year. This is made even worse due to the fact that such a small proportion of students actually attend Comhairle and even fewer understand how the Union works, even though all students are automatic members. The University Times is itself funded by students to hold student leaders and the college accountable; it is therefore our responsibility to clearly explain and analyse the actions of TCDSU/AMLCT for the wider student body. We are disheartened that the SU is preventing us from fulfilling this duty by refusing to release this information.
The current SU is ultimately responsible to the students of Trinity College Dublin, not the potential ramifications of former officers willingly claiming extra time, approving it, and accepting the money.
Beyond their claims that they worked the amount of time they said they did, we also have no way of knowing if they actually did the work, and if so, what work they were doing.
The question is: are students getting their money’s worth? In 2024/25, did these officers deliver work we should expect from six people who work 9-5 for a full year, plus 64 extra days each?
From this year, the University Times Editor will make TOIL, and the stated reason for claiming it, public at Comhairle and available to any student at any time.
The Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union did not respond to a request for comment.
