Writes Maeve McTaggart Victims of violent crime have called on the Irish government to reform laws which rehabilitate prisoners “at the expense of their victims,” advocate Sinead O’Leary has said. The implementation of the Parole Act – which sees the minimum life sentence extended from seven to twelve years and gives victims representation in the…

UCC students go to the virtual polls to vote for their next Students’ Union from Monday 28th to Wednesday 31st March, for the first time casting their votes online rather than on-campus. There are thirteen positions up for election, with every student eligible to vote in ten races, only able to vote in the college…

A public apology from the Students’ Union following their alleged involvement in the mishandling of sexual assault allegations is not necessary, the Student Council has ruled. The decision on the motion was made at an emergency meeting of the council on Friday 19th of March, one which featured lengthy debate on the powers of the…

Maeve McTaggart In a normal year, student union election season would position candidates and their campaigns loudly in front of the Boole Library, trying to capture student’s votes as they passed from one lecture to another. There is little of that experience which remains in 2021; outside Boole library remains quiet as campaigns have migrated…

Maebh McCarthy, Deputy News Editor University College Cork is not proceeding with a controversial project to form a “joint college” with a Chinese university that specialises in ethnic studies. There was no reason given as to why the project is being abandoned, however. As a result of a review commissioned by the university, a warning…

Maebh McCarthy University of Limerick campus authorities are conducting an investigation to identify any UL students who took part in a ‘street party’ that occurred recently. Students at UL are subject to a Code of Conduct and the University has said any student found to have attended the gathering will face suspension, pending a full…

Maeve McTaggart Monday 8th March marked International Women’s Day, and online events commemorated the year’s chosen them: achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. UCC celebrated the occasion with a powerful video put together by its Bystander Intervention team, where women in leadership from across UCC told the camera why they #ChoosetoChallenge. The social…

Maebh McCarthy All UCC students received an email from Interim President of UCC, Professor John O’Halloran last week advising students of the development of a UCC Covid-19 Tracker and Day Pass App for both students and staff. In the email, which is co-signed by UCCSU President, Naoise Crowley, and Dr. Michael Byrne, Head of Student…

Maeve McTaggart, News Editor March 12th marked one year from the pronouncement of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organisation and then-Taoiseach Varadkar’s address from Washington D.C. Schools, colleges and workplaces closed the following day; restaurants, retail and cafés soon followed. One year on, the nation has experienced varying degrees of lockdown and reopening…

An Emergency Student Council meeting has been called for Friday, March 19th to discuss the alleged mishandling of sexual assault allegations by UCC Students’ Union and to elicit an apology from officers involved. The motion states that the SU “have made incorrect decisions which have caused distress for students during times when they needed comfort”…