Students at Trinity College Dublin are voting this week on whether to disaffiliate from the Union of Students in Ireland.
If they decide to disaffiliate from the national student representative body, which Trinity helped to establish in 1959, USI will represent students at only four of Ireland’s seven universities.
Voting began yesterday and will close on Thursday evening, with the result to be announced later the same day.
University College Dublin will hold a similar referendum later in the academic year.
Losing TCD from the union would be a blow, according to the USI president John Logue.
“Trinity College is a massive part of the USI and it would be a huge blow to us if it were to leave. If students choose to disaffiliate though, we will continue on regardless,” he said. “I am confident, but we really are trying to fight for it.
“I urge every Trinity student to see the bigger picture, especially in this time of economic instability.”
Despite initial worries that the turnout for the ballot would be low, campaigners on both sides are now expressing confidence that a large number of students will vote.