Cutbacks in DIT
Sign the petition against the shutting down of our facilities due to the cutbacks.
"We, the undersigned, as students of the Dublin Institute of Technology and thereby members of the DIT Students' Union, petition the Minister for Finance and the HEA to deliver upon, in full, their commitment to provide adequate staff and support in sport and recreation facilities for the clubs, societies and students of the DIT"
Read the statement below released to the press
STATEMENT BY DIT STUDENTS’ UNION
Released Sunday 27th September 2009
SAVAGE STAFF CUTBACKS SHUT DOWN DIT SPORTS CLUBS AND FACILITIES
Sports and fitness facilities at Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland’s largest third level institute, will completely shut down in coming days due to savage staff cutbacks.
According to Tracy Flinter, President of DIT Students’ Union, “Sports and fitness facilities at DIT are close to collapse due to staff cutbacks. Since the summer 35 coaches and attendants have not had their contracts renewed with the result services have been slashed. The situation is now critical.
“There is now just one full-time attendant to cover the two gyms and one swimming pool operated by DIT. The situation is ridiculous. One gym has closed down, the other gym can barely operate and the opening hours of the swimming pool have been drastically cutback.
“Students, staff and members of the public who use the gym are paying the price. The staff needed to run the facilities are paid out of the capitation grant from the Higher Education Authority (HEA). This fund is largely made up of the capitation grant of €1,500 that students are required to pay at the start of each academic year. However, the HEA refuses to allow DIT to hire the staff needed to run these facilities and also Clubs. It is students’ money that is paying for student services and facilities, it seems ridiculous that the HEA and the Department of Finance can with hold student money and deny essential services.
“DIT Students’ Union has raised this matter directly with the Minister for Finance. We recognise that these are challenging economic times. However, putting qualified staff on the dole, leaving great sports facilities idle and depriving students, staff and the local community of services for the pittance that these cutbacks will save makes no sense.
"Currently we have over 160 students on sporting scholarships that need to use the gym and sports halls in order to achieve their full potential here within DIT, with the lack of facilities and the loss of coaches it means the contracts that these students have been offered are now null and void".
“DIT
Students’ Union is demanding that these senseless cutbacks are
reversed. We’ll continue to lobby the Minister for Finance and the
HEA. If either refuse to come to their senses we’ll be taking to the
streets to highlight this farcical situation.”
Below is a letter in response to a plea by the President of the Students' Union Tracey Flinter to the Minister of Finance Brian Lenihan:
