NUACHTÁN SAOR IN AISCE VOL.19 Issue 8. 06 FEB 2017
Student Independent News
Ó Maoileannaigh backs USI campaign against “horrid” direct provision By Martha Brennan NUI Galway’s Students’ Union has joined the fight against the horrors of Ireland’s direct provision scheme and is actively taking part, along with numerous Student Unions across the country, in the protest against what SU President Lorcán Ó Maoileannaigh referred to as the modern day Magdalene Laundries. On Saturday 20 January the SU and numerous NUI Galway students took part in a protest against direct provision in Galway and the SU President was especially taken back by a woman who had spent the last nine years trapped by the scheme in Galway. “We’re not campaigning against asylum seekers,” the SU President told SIN. “We’re campaigning against the horrid conditions that they face.”
Direct provision was a system set up as a temporary measure in Ireland in 2000 to house asylum seekers until they are granted refugee status. On average, over 4,500 people spend over three years in the system and 600 asylum seekers in Ireland have spent over seven years imprisoned by direct provision. The system has been referred to as dehumanising by many organisations and has been criticised by the UN and openly condemned by international groups. Yet as we enter into the second month of 2018 the system has seen no improvements and people are being forced to live in shared, cramped, hotel-sized rooms with only €21.60 a week being allocated per person. The asylum seekers are required to sign in and out of the accommodation and cannot be absent
from their accommodation for more than three consecutive nights. They are not allowed to work or attend third level education and are often not allowed cook for themseleves or their families. “These centres are like prisons,” Lorcán said. “The fact that secondary level students in the system can’t enter into third level education is something the USI feels very strongly about.” The majority of Ireland’s 34 centres are run by private companies who are profiting from the scheme. The USI recently staged a protest of the Aramark-owned Avoca store in Dublin for their connections to three of the centres and Trinity College students also organised a boycott of Aramark owned caterers on their campus, with UCD following suit this semester.
USI President Michael Kerrigan protesting outside Avoca in December. Photo by Roisin Power for University Times
While no NUI Galway restaurants are associated with Aramark, our SU is backing Trinity on their campaign with Lorcán stating that “the fact that there are companies reaping benefits from people’s suffering is not acceptable and the USI is going to do all that it can to help end this”. “The USI has a seat at a lot of tables and we’re trying to get our universities heard by politicians and bring this to Dáil level,” he said. “The fact that these centres aren’t being paid attention to and that they are becoming common practice draws striking similarities to the Magdalene Laundries,” he stated. “Politicians of the future are going to need to apologise for these.” On a lighter note, the Students’ Union made two other announcements recently: they will be taking on NUI Maynooth in another charity boxing event on 16 March. Meanwhile the referendum 1 February passed by 90% as students were asked: “Do you agree with referendum motion proposed by the Executive Committee of the Students’ Union of the National University of Ireland Galway on 15th January 2018?” The amendment to the NUI Galway Students’ Union constitution, as proposed by the SU Executive Committee, will result in the following: The Vice-President / Welfare Officer will become the Vice-President / Welfare and Equality Officer with added responsibilities in the area of equality. The current part-time Equality Officer position will be abolished. The current Postgraduate Officer will be abolished. Five new part-time officer positions will be created: the International Students Officer, the Gender and LGBT+ Rights Officer, the Disability Rights Officer, the Postgraduate Taught Officer, and the Postgraduate Research Officer.
CURTAIN CALL GUMS “The Producers” takes the stage at the Blackbox theatre this week By Riona Hughes Galway University Musical Society’s (GUMS) 18th annual show is fast approaching. “The Producers” will take place in the Black Box Theatre from Tuesday 6 until Saturday 10 of February. Based on the 1968 laugh-out-loud classic cult comedy of the same name and adapted for stage by Mel Brooks “The Producers” has won a record twelve Tony awards since its debut in 2001. When former king of Broadway, Max Bialystock, produces a string of shows that close on opening night, an unlikely alliance with a neurotic accountant leads to an ingenious scheme: raise far more money than necessary, create a sure-fire flop, take the money and run! This timeless classic will leave audiences rolling in the aisles. GUMS are pulling out all the stops with this daring production - it’s guaranteed not to flop! The hilarious characters, satirical script and catchy songs will have you asking “What kind of musical is this?” The answer? An original one. GUMS is an amateur society run by NUI Galway students with a passion for musicals. Their productions have been nominated for numerous AIMS awards, most recently nominated for best choreography in 2017. They have received rave reviews throughout their years in NUI Galway and a number of their previous cast members have gone on to study musical theatre in London. Society auditor Aisling Bonner told SIN she couldn’t wait for the cast’s hard work to be seen by the public, with rehearsals beginning back in October. Tickets are €15 or €12 for concession (students or OAPs). Tickets are on sale now online at www.tht.ie and from the Town Hall Theatre and the Socs Box in NUI Galway. More information on www.nuigstudents.ie/theproducers or from The SocsBox NUI Galway 091 492852