Union of Students in Ireland backs Athlone campaign against removal of student space

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has come out in support of a campaign by the TUS Athlone students' union to prevent the loss of part of its space on campus.

A statement issued by the USI today, Tuesday, said a proposed removal by TUS authorities of a section of the students' union's space in Athlone would affect the local union's "ability to look after the welfare of their students", adding that it "should be stopped".

Last week, students at TUS in Athlone staged a protest against what they said were plans to reduce the amount of space currently allocated to the students' union on campus.

Darcy Lawless, Deputy President of the TUS students' union, said it received an email from the TUS estates office saying it was planning to convert what is currently known as the students' union's relaxation room into a pool-playing facility in the near future.

Darcy said that the relaxation room served a number of functions in the students' union, and was used for the distribution of free goodie bags for students, and free period products which are supplied on the Athlone campus all year round.

It was also being used as a store for items belonging to people who get evicted from their accommodation and don't currently have their own housing.

Today's statement from the USI was critical of the lack of consultation with students over the proposed reduction in the students' union's facilities.

"This a vital space for the students' union on the Athlone campus and they will not stand by and let this happen, especially not with the way the college has gone about it," said USI President Chris Clifford.

"It is completely disrespectful for the college to think they can just take a space that is used for vital welfare resources, like condoms and periods products, without any dialogue or discussion with the local SU."

The USI said the Athlone proposal followed a recent move by the university to take away a student space on the TUS Moylish campus in Limerick.

"Is this what they think of the work that the students' union does for the students in their college? USI Vice Presidents joined last week’s protest against this move, and we will continue to support the local officers in opposing both the taking of this space and the way the college went about it," said Chris Clifford.

Darcy Lawless added: "Our students are really angry at this move by the college. We use this space to provide students with free period products, free contraception, free exam packs and lots of other essential services, such as storage space for students that have been evicted.

"This serves as one of our most important spaces to support students in this cost of living and housing crisis and we have been working on plans to make the space better for the students that need us.

"TUS management has already taken student space on other TUS campuses, but we are adamant we won’t let this happen on the Athlone campus. Enough is enough."

The Westmeath Independent contacted a TUS spokesperson on this issue, and received an acknowledgement, but up to the time of writing no response had been received from the technological university.