The final Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Council took place tonight in the Edmund Burke lecture theatre in the Arts Building. Following an address by Vice Provost Chris Morash, a number of Part Time Officers were elected and various motions were discussed.
The first motion discussed revolved around the branding of TCDSU. The SU and Ents voted to follow branding guidelines in any communication to the student body. The aim of the motion, proposed by Communications and Marketing Officer Glen Byrne, and seconded by his successor-elect Una Harty, is to ensure consistency in the TCDSU’s branding.
Following the decriminalisation stance adopted by TCDSU, Council then passed a motion to take “direct action by the SU to educate and protect Trinity students that consume licit/illicit substances”. The motion was proposed by Fiona Waters and seconded by Conor Reddy.
Council also voted to create an off-campus committee. The need for representation for off-campus students was the stated reason for this motion, proposed by TCDSU President Kieran McNulty and seconded by SU Welfare Officer Aoibhinn Loughlin. The committee is to cover many off-campus locations, and the off-campus representative on the Welfare Committee will also sit on the committee. The specific roles for the committee will be laid on during the first Student Council of the next college year.
In the wake of the recent vote for neutrality on the issue of a united Ireland, Council approved a motion to mandate TCDSU to lobby against fee increases for Northern Students, and the imposition of a hard border as a result of Brexit. The motion, proposed by Senior Freshman Class Rep Sally Anne McCarthy and seconded by Senior Freshman Jewish and Islamic Civilisation Class Rep Stacy Wrenn, also mandated that the President hold a series of open discussions, during which students from Northern Ireland and border counties can share the particular difficulties they’ve faced and discuss the best way the SU can help reduce these difficulties in the future.
Sally-Anne McCarthy, who was campaign manager for the Neutrality campaign in the recent preferendum, praised the efforts of campaigners in the vote, saying that it provided opportunity for “really interesting conversations” on the role of the SU and on Irish unity. A change to the motion, such that the SU President not chair debates, but rather organise them, was approved. The motion carried.
Due to Council running over time, all remaining motions, including a motion on an LGBTQ sub-committee, a motion on student poverty and a motion on a peer support strategy, have been postponed until the first Council next year.
Sam Cox, Cathal Kavanagh and Rory O’Sullivan contributed to this piece.
