Students in UCD vote to impeach pro-life union chief
Poll follows abortion row
‘Witch hunt is an embarrassment’
STUDENTS at UCD have voted to impeach their Students’ Union president in an ongoing row at Ireland’s largest university.
Katie Ascough was voted out as president of the union in the early hours of yesterday.
A referendum had been called after Ms Ascough stopped the union from publishing information on abortion in a publication aimed at first-year students.
Out of the 6,611 students who voted, 69% were in favour of impeachment, while 31% voted against.
Ms Ascough said that some students who disagreed with her pro-life views had been trying to oust her from office since the day she was elected.
‘I was elected on March 9 this year and some immediately called for my impeachment. It was flagged from day one that this might happen,’ she told Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show.
‘From day one, I said I would be a president for everyone, respecting the diversity of views in UCD.’
A campaign to impeach Ms Ascough, whose father Tom Ascough is a director of the Catholic think-tank the Iona Institute, began in September after she decided to remove information on access to abortion – including the cost of abortion in other countries and information on Campaigner: Amy Crean abortion pills – from a guide to college for first-year students.
While providing information on abortion is legal in Ireland, it is subject to strict conditions. Ms Ascough, who is studying pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry, said that after obtaining legal advice and discussing it with other student union officers, she took the decision to remove the information – at an estimated reprinting cost of €8,000.
She said she ordered the reprint because going ahead with distribution would have been illegal and could have exposed the union and her personally to a criminal record and a fine.
However, her version of events was disputed by a key figure in the ‘Yes to Impeach’ campaign. Amy Crean, campaign manager, said: ‘This was not about personal views, but the prioritising of views over democratically adopted mandates. We hope that this result is taken to demonstrate the importance of respecting the student voice.’
Ms Crean said the campaign had focused on ‘democracy and transparency within UCD’, and that the high turnout was ‘a success for student involvement’.
Ms Ascough said it was ‘not beyond the bounds of possibility’ that she would run in the by-election for her vacant position, but that it was unlikely, adding: ‘I think I need a holiday.’
In an open letter on her Fight4Katie campaign page on Thursday, Ms Ascough claimed she was being bullied out of her post.
During and after the referendum she had been the subject of abuse on social media.
In recent days, a series of vicious abuse was directed at Ms Ascough online.
‘I’ll be delighted when Katie Ascough gets impeached, off with her the c*** #impeachment referendum’, one person tweeted.
‘Katie Ascough has an ugly soul, I’d love to bate her,’ tweeted another.
Supporters rallied around to defend Ms Ascough.
Fintan Burns tweeted: ‘KatieAscough. A brave woman who is impeached for bravely carrying out the campus rules. Bullied out by the tolerant brigade.’
And Kayleigh O’Sullivan tweeted: ‘We have different views but I feel so sorry for Katie Ascough. This witch hunt is an embarrassment to Choice.’