Photo Credit: Sarah Meehan/ Trinity News
The occupation of Trinity’s Dining hall has come to an end. The 50 students who took part decided to end after Provost Patrick Prendergast tweeted he would “seriously consider alternative proposals on supplemental exam fees, modular billing & PG/Non-EU fees at the next Board meeting”.
A press statement released by the campaign said: “This has been recognised as a step forward by the campaign. However, we plan to continue our direct actions until our three demands have been met. We will continue to escalate our protests until our demands our met.”
The rally marks the end of the student occupation of the Dining Hall that began on Tuesday morning. The current occupation comes to an end after escalated action from the College yesterday evening which left students inside the building without access to bathroom facilities and no food or water allowed in.
A series of protests in response to College’s decision took place across College campus yesterday. Students demonstrated on the Dining Hall steps, closed down Front Gate and occupied the Examination Hall for a period of time.
Students occupied the Dining Hall this Tuesday as part of the ongoing protests against the implementation of a €450 supplemental exam fee. The occupation was joined by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) President and Welfare Officer Kevin Keane and Damien McClean. Alongside the ongoing occupation this week was the blockage of Front Arch, the entrance to the Book of Kells, and the Nassau Street gate, all as part of the #TakeBackTrinity campaign.
The implementation of the €450 flat rate supplemental fee for exam repeats came after 82% of 3,504 students voted in a valid poll against the introduction of supplemental fees, in a preferendum held by TCDSU on February 22.
Additional reporting by Eoin O’Donnell and Sarah Meehan
