TCDSU has begun taking applications which would reimburse a variety of ‘Trans’ identifying students in the college for the purchase of a variety of items, including makeup, clothing, and jewelry.
The so-called ‘T-Fund’, which will reimburse individuals to the tune of up to €200 for what the Union is describing as ‘Gender-Affirming’ and ‘Dysphoria relieving items’, will be paid for by the Irish taxpayer via money allocated to the union by the Higher Education Authority.
The move follows similar funds being set up in NUI Galway, as well as Dublin City University by the respective unions in both colleges.
Speaking to Trinity News, then Welfare Officer, now TCDSU president Leah Keogh cited statistics put out by the now disgraced NGO Transgender Equality Network Ireland, which had its HSE funding stripped earlier in the year over accounting irregularities.
Before funding to the NGO was terminated, TENI had received €1.3 million from the HSE since 2014.
While the spending of taxpayer funds in this manner is being justified by TCDSU as providing students with support, as well as helping students become their ‘true sel(ves)’, the Union has not always been so supportive of students.
In 2020, this publication discovered that officials of the union were in some capacity monitoring students in the college who were ‘flagged as being a problem’.
Speaking to an undercover Burkean reporter, then Ethnic Minorities Officer Sé Ó hEidhin noted that some ‘flagged’ students were ‘involved with fascism’, giving all those within the college who were involved with this publication at the time as an example.
The officer proceeded to leak student information to the reporter, posing as an antifa member at the time. The reporter requested the information for the stated purpose of harassing students.
In another conversation with then Union President, Laura Beston, the President stated she was aware that union documents had been passed on by her Ethnic Minorities Officer to the undercover reporter posing as antifa.
The so-called ‘T-Fund’ is expected to run for a period of 10 years, with a total of €20,000 at this time being made available for it over the same period.
Cover Image: TCDSU Email
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