Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-30
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Ruth Coppinger (PBP), Dublin West

I wonder should the Minister ask for himself or one of his team, if you like, to be engaged in those discussions with the college and the student because it does not help when the dean of medicine walks into lecture halls, spends half an hour undermining a student and is then the person taking part in the discussion around the academic issues. This medical student told me that a significant number of students now perceive the supports available as performative and not something they would engage in because if you speak out, you are going to be ostracised. This is a male student by the way. He said that many of them felt their colleague's credibility and the reputation of the student were being undermined in front of their own eyes and that they would not talk about a rape patient in that way.
There are problems in the culture, and I am sure it is not just UCD but other colleges too. UCD has a DEI Athena Swan Award for its great ability to be inclusive but that is not reflected in reality. Just to say, a rape did take place, regardless of the person not reporting it.
You can see why. They tried to get on with their life. We know that from the image that was shared after, in any case.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-30