http___www.universitytimes.ie_2018_06_is-fianaise-e-an-bille-um-thithiocht-na-mac-leinn-go-mbionn-rath-ar-gniomhaiocht-dhireach__1.xml
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3 5.1 6.1 6.2
This past year has been a busy one for Ireland’s student leaders. They’ve fought for abortion rights for women at a national level, revolted against extortionate fees and clamoured to keep higher education funding on the agenda. We’ve had emotionally charged marches and new forms of direct action. But one thing is clear: students have had enough. In a post-repeal Ireland, students are now left to deal with issues that have been simmering in the background. Every student in the country is intimately aware of the impact of the accommodation crisis and despite its ubiquity in Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) election manifestos, no direct action had been taken up until this year. In the wake of Take Back Trinity’s success, a burst of energetic protests took place. Dublin City University’s Shanowen Shakedown and NUI Galway’s Cúirt Shakedown saw local students’ unions protest accommodation fee hikes in their universities. And despite students’ poor attendance at the country’s first-ever March for Housing, it seems that this issue has been put firmly on the agenda. Tuesday’s debate in the Dáil about a student accommodation bill was most notable for its recognition of student protests. Higher Education Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor has made sure to be unusually vocal in her desire to alleviate student concerns about what she called “spiralling costs”, and TDs heaped on praise of student protests. Indeed, while unions can often be criticised for tokenistic or ineffective action, this year’s unprecedented level of student activism across Ireland seems to have paid off. This bill, if passed, will be the first tangible improvement for students, who have endured this crisis for nearly a decade at this point, by a government that last year said it aimed to provide 21,000 beds by 2024. It’s been a long time since students have been so vocal, taking direct action and garnering national media attention. Though cynics may once have scoffed at the potential for student protests to effect change, the student movement has never seen the government more receptive.
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3 5.1 5.2 6.1 6.2
Ba bhliain ghnóthach í seo do cheannairí na mac léinn. Throid siad ar son chearta ginmhillte ag leibhéal náisiúnta, rinne siad agóidíocht i gcoinne táillí ríchostasacha, agus d’éiligh siad go láidir chun maoiniú an ardoideachais a choimeád ar an gclár oibre. Bhí mórshiúlta corraitheacha againn agus bealaí nua chun gníomhaíocht dhíreach a chur i bhfeidhm. Is féidir bheith cinnte faoi rud amháin: tá go leor fulaingthe ag mic léinn. I ndiaidh na haisghairme, tugann mic léinn aghaidh ar na ceisteanna a bhí fágtha chun deiridh. Tá chuile mhac léinn eolach ar an tionchar atá ag an ngéarchéim tithíochta, agus in ainneoin na huileláithreachta a bhíonn ag an ngéarchéim tithíochta i rith olltoghchán Aontas na Mac Léinn i gColáiste na Tríonóide, níor tharla aon ghníomhaíocht dhíreach go dtí an bhliain seo. I ndiaidh na cathréime a bhain le Tóg an Tríonóid ar Ais, tharla agóidí ar fud na tíre. Rinneadh agóidíocht i gcoinne táillí tithíochta ag ardú in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath agus in Ollscoil Náisiúnta na hÉireann, Gaillimh. In ainnneoin an tinrimh laig ag an gcéad Mhórshiúl ar son na Tithíochta, cuireadh an cheist seo ar an gclár oibre. Tabharfar suntas don díospóireacht sa Dáil ar Dé Máirt maidir leis an mBille um Thithíocht na Mac Léinn de bharr an aitheantais a tugadh d’agóidíocht na mac léinn. Tá iarracht mhór á dhéanamh an tAire Ardoideachais Mary Mitchell O’Connor chun buairt na mac léinn maidir le táillí atá “ag ardú as cuimse” a laghdú. Cé gur féidir Aontais na Mac Léinn a cháineadh mar gheall ar ghníomhaíocht gan éifeacht nó gan bhrí, bhí rath ar an bhfeachtasaíocht i measc mac léinn i mbliana. Beidh an Bille seo, má éiríonn leis, mar an chéad fheabhas do mhic léinn, a bhfuil an ghéarchéim seo fulaingthe acu ar feadh beagnach deich mbliana anois. Dúirt an rialtas seo go gcuirfidh siad 21,000 leaba ar fáil faoin mbliain 2024. Tamall fada a bhí ann ó bhí mic léinn chomh glórmhar, ag gníomhú go díreach agus ag mealladh aird náisiúnta. Cé go raibh soinicí ag magadh faoin gcumas atá ag agóidíocht na mac léinn chun athrú a spreagadh, ní raibh an rialtas chomh hoscailte riamh.