Katie Ascough
Photo: Youtube, Colm Flynn Pro-life campaigner Katie Ascough has hit back at comments made by the President of University College Dublin (UCD) in a Sunday newspaper.
Prof. Andrew Deeks spoke about the impeachment of the former Students’ Union president and her claims of discrimination by lecturers due to her religious beliefs in the Sunday Independent article.
Ms Ascough, who was impeached in 2017, doubts that such conduct would have been condoned if it had been towards a person of any other religion.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, she said: “My initial thoughts when I read President Deeks’ comments were that ultimately he is an amiable man, but I still don’t think he is aware of the issues Catholic students face at UCD.
“It is not uncommon for lecturers to scoff at and disparage the Catholic Church, sometimes with incredible bluntness.”
She added: “As a devout Catholic sitting through these lectures you feel let down and singled out – it’s a horrible feeling and greatly distracting.”
Perception
In the article Prof. Deeks was quoted saying that he felt it was “her perception” that she was being mistreated by lecturers, and that he had “no information” nor did he “believe” that it was happening.
Prof. Deeks also mentioned that people in such situations could be “quite sensitive”, alluding to Ms Ascough.
“As to the comment on my potential sensitivity,” she said in response. “I think any student would feel wronged if they were told by a lecturer ‘I want you gone’.”
Prof. Deeks said he was “sorry” how Ms Ascough was ousted, acknowledging her as a “very good students [sic] union president” and that he “would have liked to have seen her serve out her term”.
However, he insisted “there was nothing” the university could have done to intervene in her case.