COLLEGE TRIBUNE Volume XXVI 26th February 2013
Issue 9 Independent Student Media Since 1989
www.collegetribune.ie
INSIDE THE SIREN
VISIT TO GAZA Page 9
Students' disappointment with Garda Ombudsman James Grannell Editor
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number of individuals who lodged complaints with the Garda Ombudsman following the 2010 protest outside the department of Finance have received word that the investigation into the actions of members of the Gardaí under section 98 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 has come to an end. In letters from the Ombudsman, which were shown to the College Tribune, students have been informed that there will be no further criminal investigation into the conduct of Gardaí during the occupation of the department of Finance. Vanessa O’Sullivan told the College Tribune how she had been “kicked in the face and knocked unconscious before being carried out and dumped on the street,” during the protest. Earlier this year she was informed by letter that while “the Garda Ombudsman has decided to investigate the conduct of Garda(í) concerned under Section 95 in accordance with the provisions of Section 101(6) of the Act, to establish whether there is evidence to suggest any breach of the Garda Síochána (Disciplinary) Regulations, 2007.” The Ombudsman has however found no criminal misconduct on the part of Gardaí under section 98. O' Sullivan explained how during the USI protest in 2010, up to two thousand students broke away from the main protest stating; “It was significant to most of us who didn't want to hear Students’ Union leaders, who were members of the established parties in government, talk about how badly their parties were treating students.” In videos of the protest O’Sullivan can be seen lying on the ground in what seems an uncon-
scious state. She is then lifted out of the view of the camera. “I was advised to go to the Garda Ombudsman and report it, which I did,” explained O’Sullivan. “I was interrogated for approximately six hours when giving my statement. I was asked about others inside the building that day. I believe it was their hope that I would give them names of possible 'ringleaders' of the occupation. Several students were arrested after the event and questioned. I lived in fear for weeks in the belief that I would be next but instead there was nothing. I have been suffering with severe migraines since being attacked and there had been no communication by the Ombudsman until a few weeks ago. I had been sent a letter to say that there was ‘no criminal misbehaviour by the Garda member(s) concerned.’” She told the Tribune that she found the findings of the Ombudsman an insult, but that she would do the same again. “Given the choice, knowing what I know today, I would do exactly the same thing again. The occupation and reaction was important to show how distorted our view on the situation had become…a fierce reality on the developing nature of the Gardaí and to instil the fighting spirit back into the student movement. Following the student demo, there was the biggest turnout on the Trade Union pre-budget demo with a healthy injection of students on the march. I hope that my experience is seen for what it is; a complete panic and over reaction by those at the top. It was also designed to instil fear into those demanding change, it had the opposite effect. Continues on page 3
Above: Students participate in a mock marriage ceremony by the UCD lake after a successful Rainbow Week
Paid Parking on the way for UCD students and staff Ronan Coveney News Writer
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lans are being put in place by UCD to introduce paid parking across all car parks on Belfield and Blackrock campuses by September. Both staff and students will be affected by the move that has been approved by the UCD Governing Authority with the cost currently planned at an hourly base rate of 50 cent. In a letter to the UCD SIPTU branch, Eamonn Ceannt, Director of Capital Development for UCD, states that due to the development of two new commuting facilities on campus, the funding of these new developments will be met by the introduction of paid parking on all car parks in UCD. Many staff and students have expressed outrage at the plans as for many their car is the only
way for them to travel to UCD. A third year politics student stated to the paper that the move was “...scandalous. I’m only using my car because I have to, I don’t have a choice. Where I live there is no public transport and the only way to get to UCD is in my car.” Currently paid parking is in operation on a small number of car parks on Belfield campus, however by September UCD plans to introduce paid parking to all car parking sites. An independent consultant, Dr. John O’Dowd, has been commissioned by UCD to carry out a consultation over the next number of weeks that will involve an online survey, focus groups with both staff and students, meetings with SIPTU, IFUT, UNITE and UCDSU, along with on-site service provid-
ers. A report based on the consultation is planned to be available by April on the matter. As revealed in the last issue of the College Tribune, planning permission was lodged in January for a 631 space multi-storey car park to be built on land close to the Watertower on the Belfield campus. The new car park will provide for an increase of 122 spaces across campus, with some of the current car parks losing spaces. This is due to an agreement in place between UCD, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the National Transport Authority, which sees the amount of spaces on the Belfield campus capped at 3,600. Currently there are 3,466 spaces for cars on campus.