Trinity College drops €214K student union fine

The student body at one of Ireland's top universities has hailed a "win for the right to protest" after a fine issued against it by university administrators was withdrawn.

Trinity College Dublin Students' Union had previously been handed an invoice for €214K (£183K) for revenue lost due to student protests.

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) had cited a loss of income caused by protests that blocked the entrance to the Book of Kells visitor attraction, located on the university campus.

TCD have now said they "will not be pursuing the invoice".

In a statement to BBC News NI, a spokesperson for the university said: "At a meeting yesterday between the university and student representatives, a joint renewed commitment was made to student partnership.

"On this basis of this renewed commitment, the university will not be pursuing the invoice."

The withdrawal of the fine was announced on social media on Monday evening by the president of the students' union László Molnárfi.

"This is a win for the right to protest," he said.

In a statement to the student newspaper Trinity News, Mr Molnárfi said: “If a loss of revenue coincided with peaceful protests as outlined by the College, none of which resulted in any arrests by An Garda Síochána, then such is a cost to the university of operating in a liberal democracy where peaceful protest is both lawful and encouraged.”

In a previous statement, TCD said it is a not-for-profit organisation that "cannot survive solely on government funding and depends on other sources of income".

"The income generated from the Book of Kells is vital to keep the university going and it supports initiatives such as student services, the student hardship fund etc," a spokesperson said.

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript which is more than 1,200 years old.

The book has been in the hands of TCD since the 17th century and now attracts more than half a million tourists a year, external with admission starting at €19 (£16).

The decision to fine the students' union for protests was criticised by some politicians in the Republic of Ireland.

Sinn Féin higher education spokesperson Mairéad Farrell TD described the fine as "very worrying".

"Student protests & solidarity have a strong and proud tradition," she said, adding that "student voices shouldn't be silenced".

The Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said that TCD “should be ashamed of this blatant attempt to suppress student protest”.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett called the fine a “disgraceful attempt to silence and intimidate TCDSU” and a "shameful attack by a University on free speech".

The students' union have also recently announced that disciplinary procedures brought by the university against some students in relation to protests have also been dropped.

The president-elect of the union Jenny Maguire posted on X screenshots of a letter received by her from TCD.

The letter states that she was "a participant in disruptive events that impacted normal College operations", which "amounts to a breach of College regulations".

However it goes on to say that the university "notes your desire to a positive working relationship with the university".

"With this in mind, and also mindful of the ongoing positive discussions between student representatives and the university, The Junior Dean has decided not to proceed with this case."

Earlier this month, a pro-Palestinian encampment on the university grounds came to an end following a agreement being reached between TCD and the protestors.

TCD said that the university "will complete a divestment from investments in Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist in this regard".