USI has accused TCD and, in particular, its students' union of acting undemocratically in the run up to this week's referendum on reaffiliation to the national union, scheduled for Thursday.
USI president Colm Keaveney claimed that TCD students' union has acted to prevent USI officers from speaking on campus and distributing information on USI and its activities, while the "No" campaign had distributed "misinformation and lies" about the national union.
"It is bitterly ironic that TCD students' union and USI fought a national battle on censorship against SPUC (the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) yet TCD students' union will not give us a fair and democratic opportunity to explain our position," said Keaveney.
He criticised the double standard at work in the college, which allowed USIT, the USI linked student travel company, to enter the college yet failed to accord a similar courtesy to the national organisation behind it. It is understood that USI at one point sought legal advice in relation to its efforts to explain its position on TCD's campus.
TCD students' union president Priya Nair described Keaveney as misinformed and said it was untrue that the union had denied USI access to the campus. "TCD students' union has no authority to deny USI or any other external organisation access to campus," she said. "The students' union never said it would ban USI. The authority rests solely with the college officers to give or deny access to the college.
She said the union had taken no stance on the issue in order to facilitate a clean and open referendum. "The union finance committee met for the specific purpose of discussing the referendum and we have assigned £100 to each side in the referendum."
During the referendum, only leaflets which are produced through the offices of the electoral commission can be distributed. Both campaigns are allowed to avail of this facility and USI speakers are welcome on the campus at the invitation of the Yes campaign. Nair said that it was the electoral commission which ruled on the running of elections and referenda, not the students' union, which has no power in the matter.
. TCD students will also decide on whether or not to introduce a fifth sabbatical, position during this week's elections. The fifth full time sabbatical officer would have responsibility for publications and publicity and, if the proposal is passed, a by election, will be held next term to fill the position.
