Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) will campaign for a new Zón Mac Léinn in the Hamilton Building today, after a motion calling for this passed at Council this evening.
The motion was proposed by Science Programme Convenor Vilte Bivainyte and seconded by STEM convenor Ruaidhrí Saulnier.
The motion proposed to refurbish what was once a Mexican restaurant, and what has now been “appropriated as a storage closet for the Book of Kells”, into a Zón Mac Léinn.
They recognised “the success of the Hamilton bank Zón Mac Léinn, and its popularity amongst students”.
The motion criticised “the unsuitable number of lockers in that area of campus” which “results in students who perform labs [being] unable to safely store their belongings during labs, which often last hours”.
Speaking at Council this evening Bivainyte said: “Currently there are not enough lockers in the Hamilton to accommodate students.”
“There is no safe respite space for students who get anxious or need to take a break during practicals.”
The motion noted that “there is no respite space for students to go to if they feel overwhelmed during labs or lectures down at the East End of campus”, an issue that has been recognised by staff and faculty within the sciences schools.
The motion further noted that staff in the Hamilton Building have “proposed using this space as a new student space”, and that this “would be designed to provide a storage space for belongings during practicals and a safe zone for students”.
TCDSU is now mandated to “lobby for this space to be used as a new Student Space”.
