Opinion: Conor McGregor Is Not Fit to Represent Ireland
The University Times March 25th, 2025
The True Cost of Studying as an International Student at Trinity Page 6
The New Students’ Union Climate Policies Page 12 Page 10
Volume XV, Issue V
Minister James Lawless Maintains that Course Fee Increases Are to Come: Page 4 Isabel Nolan and Georgina Jackson Represent Ireland at the Venice Biennale: Interview on Page 5
Radius Magazine:
What Netflix’s Adolescence Teaches Us About Incel Culture
universitytimes.ie
Tuesday 25th March 2025
Trinity Health Science Students Protest Faculty Promotes Trinity’s Violation Foundation with Links to of the Official Zionist Organisations PHOTOS BY FIONN BOWES- FITZPATRICK
Languages Act Nicole Saluck
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Eliora Abramson
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rinity’s faculty of Health Science has advertised research fellowships with the Canadian Institute of Advanced Research (CIFAR) Azrieli Global Scholars Programme. The email included two opportunities, both of which take place in Israeli academic institutions: Azrieli International Visiting PhD Fellowship and the Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellowship. In an open letter posted to the Instagram’s of Academia for Palestine Trinity and Academics for Palestine Ireland, they state that researchers in the Faculty of Health Sciences had received an email promoting “prestigious fellowship opportunities” from the Azrieli Foundation. The letter, sent on March 11th, states, “the email seems to have been sent directly from a representative of the Foundation, Dafna Sofrin-Frumer, to the Faculty Dean, and forwarded to all staff in the Faculty with no considerations for the harm that promoting Israeli-linked funding schemes is likely to have on recipients”. During Trinity College Dublin Students Union Comhairle on March 11th, a motion to condemn the Azrieli Foundation was passed unanimously. This motion came from Business School Convenor Patrick Keegan, who stated that the foundation has been accused of operating in the West Bank Settlement and also has been linked to IDF funding, as well as advertising fellowships for students to conduct research in Israel. Director of Communications of the Azrieli Foundation emailed The University Times, writing that an article published to UT’s website covering the Comhairle motion “reiterates false allegations about the Azrieli Foundation relating to our ongoing fellowship collaboration with Trinity College Dublin”. Also written in the email was the statement “to be clear, the Azrieli Foundation does not operate in the West Bank, nor does the Foundation have funding ties to the IDF. As a non-profit, we are strictly
apolitical and remain steadfast in our commitment to a peaceful coexistence.” According to the Canadian NGO Just Peace Activists, the Azrieli Foundation has funded the Jerusalem Foundation and the Jewish National Fund, whose charitable status was removed by the Canada Revenue Agency following a public campaign exposing the foundation’s ties to the Israeli military and illegal settlements. They also reported that the foundation has donated to the Zionist organisation Im Tirtzu. The Azrieli Institute of Israel Studies at Concordia University was also founded by the Azrieli Foundation, which was described by farright Zionist Gerald Steinberg as an intentional “counterattack” against BDS advocacy on campus. According to their website, the foundation has two important international relationships, one with the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the second with the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. The Azrieli Group has past and present investments in companies that do business on illegal West Bank settlements. The Guardian referred to the Azrieli Foundation as the “the charitable arm of the Azrieli Group, Israel’s largest publicly traded real estate company which has holdings in Bank Leumi. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has listed Bank Leumi as operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories”. The Azrieli Group is Israel’s leading real estate company, according to their website. The website writes “income-producing properties extend over 1.4 million sqm [square metre], yielding an NOI of over NIS 1.6 billion per year. with an additional 1 million sqm under development” and that “the Azrieli Group has shaped the way Israelis work, buy, and live for over four decades” . These properties are
held in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as owning 4% of shares in Bank Leumi. According to the Artists Against Artwashing (AAA), who have protested against the Azrieli Foundation, several European pension funds have recently divested from the bank, “citing its violations of international law in financing settlements, extracting natural resources and building infrastructure in occupied territory”. Additionally, following the events of October 7th, Azrieli announced via their website that they would be sending $10 million to Israel, stating the foundation “stands united with Israel as it defends itself”. The foundation was recently protested this past November at the annual gala fundraiser for the Toronto Arts Festival (TAF). AAA wrote in an open letter at the time that “Past and present Board members of the Azrieli network also represent ties to illegal weaponry research, military intelligence, and efforts to ‘rebrand’ the image of Israel and censor Palestinian voices by donating $25k annually to Honest Reporting Canada.” The Art Newspaper describes Honest Reporting Canada as an Israeli advocacy group that routinely harasses journalists who publish articles critical of Israeli policy. Dublin City University has also advertised Fellowships with the Azrieli Foundation, including the Azrieli Foundation International Postdoctoral Fellowship. Last May, following the encampments led by Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), Trinity College agreed to full divestment from Israeli companies and institutions. In a statement released at the time, College wrote that they had a “firm commitment” regarding initiating “a process to divest from investment in companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and “appear on the UN blacklist”. College have been contacted for comment.
tudents have taken to social media to protest Trinity’s violation of the Official Languages Act. Pádraig Mac Brádaigh, the Students’ Union Irish officer, states that the violations are widespread. Under the Official Languages Act of 2003, public bodies are required to respond to written and electronic communications in the language in which they were received. According to the act’s official guidebook, “The Act directly provides that public bodies have a duty to reply to communications, in writing or by electronic mail, in the official language in which the communication was received”. However, students say that Trinity has failed to uphold these requirements, particularly within the academic registry. TCDSU Oifigeach Gaeilge Pádraig Mac Brádaigh recounted an incident earlier this year in which a student emailed the academic registry in Irish and was “told to email them in English.” He also shared his own experience receiving responses in English from multiple college bodies despite emailing them in Irish. He stated, “I’ve received correspondence in English from a large variety of bodies within the college,” adding that even the senior dean himself responded in English. The University Times has seen the aforementioned correspondence. Students also raised concerns about the lack of Irish signage around campus. While the official guidebook states that “where a public body communicates in writing or by electronic mail with the general public or a class of the general public for the purpose of furnishing information to the public or the class, the body shall ensure that the communication is in the Irish language or in the English and Irish languages,” Mac Brádaigh pointed to the academic registry’s failure to comply with this. He noted that earlier this year during the exam time “all of the exam locations were signposted with English signage” and did not include Irish. Mac Brádaigh calls this a direct “vi-
olation of the law,” which he says is “discriminatory towards Irish students”. Mac Brádaigh in response, “went around with a marker and wrote the Irish on them.” While Mac Brádaigh says the academic registry is preparing new signs for the upcoming Hillary term and “progress is being made,” he notes that “when it comes to Irish legislation, the response is always reactive rather than proactive.” Mac Brádaigh notes that Trinity is not the only public body not complying with the law. One example he mentions is the dental hospital, which is associated with Trinity. He states that the hospital’s compliance is “worse than other buildings associated with Trinity College” and mentions this is the “only building associated with Trinity that I’ve seen where there is no Irish signage language at all”. In response to these concerns, Mac Brádaigh says that he has met with estates and is currently preparing a presentation for the college Bursar about the lack of Irish language signage. While he says that the states and facilities say they don’t have money to replace a lot of signs he believes, “That’s not an excuse; it’s the law, so Trinity has to have enough money”. He warns that if funding is not secured from the Bursar, then the issue will escalate, stating, “If we do not get the money from the Bursar, then I will submit a huge report to An Coimisinéir Teanga detailing extensive violations of the law that Trinity has done within this year, or they will be facing a serious investigation by the An Coimisinéir Teanga”. According to PEIG, The An Coimisinéir Teanga (the Irish Language Commissioner) is responsible for enquiring “into any valid complaint where public bodies are considered to have failed to fulfil their duties under the Official Languages Act, under any regulations made under the Act and/or under any scheme confirmed with a public body under the Act.” Mac Brádaigh further states that he has done his due diligence, spending months trying to cooperate with Trinity in hopes that they will find a
solution. According to PEIG “if the Language Commissioner cannot resolve the complaint satisfactorily on an informal basis, he may launch an investigation or formal inquiry.” Brádaigh states if the college still “doesn’t provide this funding, then that “would make any complaint to the An Coimisinéir Teanga far, far worse because it would show that the college is simply not willing to fulfill its obligations under the legislation.” In a statement to The University Times College said: “Trinity’s Academic Registry is taking a phased approach to the increase of Irish in the department. Phases on and two are the development of all signage bilingually and having a library of Irish responses to Irish queries received. These are now fully implemented. In addition, students can request service in Irish and can be connected with Irish-speaking staff in AR. Phases three and four are Irish Language training with Service Desk staff through the Irish Language Office, and an active review of the Academic Registry website translation to Irish. Phase five is a review with IT Service Colleagues of the student portal and translation of that into Irish. This involves system redevelopment and will take longer as a result.” When presented with this statement, Mac Brádaigh said that he had repeatedly met with Academic Registry and IT services and found that insufficient progress was made over several months. While An Comisinéir Teanga does not have the ability to penalise public bodies for their lack of compliance with Irish language directives, they do work in co-operation with bodies to improve access to the Irish language which is the first language of Ireland and has equal standing in the Irish consititution alongside the English language. Mac Brádaigh has reiterated his commitment to making the College compliant with the Official Irish languages Act and is “90% sure” he will report the College to the Comisinéir Teanga.
Harper Alderson Reflections on the RON campaign: What have we gained and lost?
Sajal Singh A job? In this economy? Singh finds out how students find employment
Patrick Keegan The Students’ Union may have a rent freeze but students still can’t afford a place to live PAGE 6
Editor: Brídín Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce Volume XV, Issue V ISSN: Phone: (01) 646 8431 Email: editor@universitytimes.ie Website: universitytimes.ie
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To contact UT, email: The Editor editor@universittimes. ie
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