DCU students' union president Ciaran Duffy has denied that his nomination for the presidency in the union's sabbatical elections earlier this month discouraged other candidates from contesting the position.
Both Duffy and former DCU students' union president Colin Cunningham put in nominations for the presidency within five minutes of the close of nominations last month. Both withdrew their nominations the following week, leaving Nigel O'Flaherty, the current deputy president, as the only candidate for the presidency.
"It was actually to try to encourage other people to run, said Duffy. He said he had reflected on his nomination for a number of days before deciding to withdraw in favour of concentrating on his career.
He also said his reasons for entering the race and then withdrawing had been "completely accepted" by a subsequent student council meeting and he rejected any imputation that the nominations of either himself or Duffy had discouraged candidates from contesting the presidency.
The sabbatical elections are being held again this week, following the resignation of all the incoming executive officers amid complaints about the publicising of the nominations process.
Duffy also described as "frank and open" last week's student council discussion about the recent USI Congress and the election meeting, for delegates held before voting for the USI sabbatical positions.
