Deputy Mary O’Rourke has expressed her disgust at the laying of a wreath of flowers at the door of her office by AIT students protesting against the reintroduction of third level fees.
The TD says both she, and the female staff member who was alone in the office at the time, interpreted the gesture as a threat, and contacted the Union of Students in Ireland (USI ) requesting that they immediately remove the wreath.
“I am upset for her, as a woman alone in the office, to have flowers of death placed on her doorstep. She took this as a threat and so would I. I do not like to have any employee of mine in this position; I have duties regarding health and safety. I have never got flowers marked death except on the death of my husband,” she said.
The message on the wreath of flowers, which was placed at the door of Deputy O’Rourke’s office by AIT Students’ Union president Micheal Fogarty, read: “Sincere and deepest sympathy on the death of free fees, from your AIT constituents. We will remember this.”
The move was part of a protest by over 1,500 students of Athlone Institute of Technology, which saw them chant “No cutbacks! No fees! No Fianna Fail TDs!” as they marched from the college campus to the town’s civic centre.
The students received the support of local councillors Paul Hogan of Sinn Fein and Fine Gael’s John Dolan, both of whom addressed the large student gathering. Cllr Hogan commented that the recent Budget had put “the final nail in the coffin of free education”, while Cllr Dolan particularly expressed his disappointment that no Fianna Fail politicians attended the rally. “Our local Fianna Fail TDs and councillors are notable by their absence today. Fianna Fail politicians appeared on doorsteps at the last election, so they should be there to defend their policies,” he said.
However, Deputy O’Rourke said that although she was unavailable to attend Wednesday’s event as she was in the Dail, she is willing to meet with local students to discuss their plight. “I got a call from USI on Monday asking if I could attend, but I told them I would be in Dublin, so they knew I was not in the office on Wednesday.
“I would like to meet them, and I have given them my mobile number and asked them to call to arrange a time when I am free. I am willing to meet the students in a structured manner, but they have never sought such an appointment. If they wish to stand over their actions it is their own lookout,” she added.
Deputy president of USI, Dave Curran, told the Advertiser that after Deputy O’Rourke’s office contacted the union regarding the wreath, a “frank and open discussion” took place with the TD on the fees issue. “The placing of the wreath was a symbolic gesture to represent the death of free education. Deputy O’Rourke should be concerned about this, as 1,500 of her constituents demonstrated in the town against her party and government. The high turnout should serve as a reminder to politicians that there are a lot of students out there and they all have parents, brothers, and sisters that this will also affect.”
