Galway Advertiser 2010/GA_2010_03_11/GA_1103_E1_046.pdf 

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Dear Editor,

BE A GALWAY VOICE

Comment To Ph D or not to Ph D?
Volvo news is our Olympics
The confirmation last evening of the story that we brought you first last week, that Galway is to host the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2012, brings to an end a remarkable series of negotiations that have concluded with a tremendous fillip for everyone here in the west. With the state of the economy and few lights on the horizon, the promise of this remarkable event is something that the entire region can plan around for the next two years. Galway businesses who have been badly affected by the downturn in the economy can now see what role they can play in the planning of this event, and they can also visualise the benefits that will accrue from the honour of hosting it. It is fitting that it should fall in the same summer that London will host its Olympics, because there had been some hope expressed along the way that Galway would act as a training base for countries eager to sample the climate of these isles before heading to south London, but this event is way bigger than any of that London spin-off would have been for us. These are our Olympics, given to us not by political favour or cronyism, but because Galway and the organsiers have shown that we can do it and do it in style. Now it is up to us all to play a part in its success. Whereas this time last year, the tanks were still on the docks and there were concerns about having the site ready, this time the organisers are starting with a clean slate and building on the plans they have already submitted; the 2012 finish can be the most spectacular event this part of the world has ever seen. Last year's stopover is a sort of a Eucharistic Congress for the city, because generations to come will eulogise about the tremendous fortnight of sunshine, sailing and song as Galway people rediscovered the docks, and in some way, rediscovered their confidence. So many people have done so many things for the west, but the efforts of John Killeen, Enda O Coineen, John Concannon and the teams at Let's Do It Galway and Failte Ireland have a lot to be proud of. Their efforts will go down in the annals of the history of this region. Well done to all concerned and also to Minsiter Eamon O Cuiv who is believed to have played a key role in the successful bid. How ironic it would be if he were to lose his portfolio just weeks after pulling this off for Galway. But such is politics. The backers have delivered and it is now up to the rest of us to surpass the success of 2009 and to create more memories. The wind is behind our sails, let's avail of it. In response to Dr Pat Morgan's recent letter in the Galway Advertiser, where he eulogises over the great career prospects of UCG's science graduates and postgraduates, I wish to point out a number of inaccuracies in his arguments. Firstly, he claims in his capacity as dean of graduate studies, that UCG does indeed not have an aim in producing 200 Ph D graduates per year by 2014, but that this is more of a national target. I would refer him to an article in The Irish Times by Lorna Siggins, its western correspondent, where Dr Browne states "the university's strategy has set a target of 200 PhD graduates a year by 2014". This appears to me, as if he is talking about UCG and not the combined PhD graduate output of all the Irish universities, which again I would cite would leave them with very poor job prospects in the sciences here in Ireland. There are also seven universities producing science Ph D graduates in Ireland, not five as he writes, or does he not think Dublin City University and the Royal College of Surgeons as being fully fledged universities. Dr Morgan argues that UCG has seen an increase in the demand for its science based courses, as a justification for offering these courses in the first place. It is merely the lack of employment opportunities in the west that is driving these record number of applications, plus the

In response to the call for St Patrick to come out of retirement
Dear Editor, Our client, Dr Patrick Succat O'Calpurnius, has drawn our attention to a versiform invocation, attributed to one Kevin Higgins of your fine and renowned city, contained in your Letters page of March 4, to the effect that he should "come out of retirement". Our client wishes to point out that he has attended to the needs of your island on two previous occasions, and that each time it proved more to the profit and benefit of his hosts than to himself. In the first instance he was abducted into the employ of one Milchu on the slopes of Slemish under less than satisfactory conditions. In the second he received little in return for his voluntarily endeavouring to enlighten the natives of that sodden island and lead them from their primitive preoccupations with the trivia of their egotistical pursuits. As such, the good Doctor has instructed us to inform Mr Higgins that this unsolicited and uncommonly prosaic invitation cannot be considered until the terms and conditions of engagement and remuneration have been negotiated to our clients satisfaction. He has also requested that we undertake any preliminary negotiations required. He also wishes to point out that he no longer accepts the canonisation handed down by a body he says he does not recognise as the one under whose auspices he ministered. He warns that, should he succumb to current inducements to return, bystanders should be forewarned of a considerable clash of crossed crosiers. He has further instructed us that if Mr Higgins wishes to avail of a personal audience, Dr O'Calpurnius is to be found, as is customary on his designated day of 17th, at his residence atop the Reek. Otherwise, formal communications should be addressed to the above office. Hoping this clarifies matters. Yours, D.Flinter, C.I.D. (Celestial Intervention Department) Dosh, Gino, Lucre and Spondooliks Ltd. Grubb Street Headford DI.Co Galway

Roscommon: another reason why children's rights should be enshrined
Dear Editor, The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) agrees that the upbringing of children is, in most cases, best left to the parents, and that the various family support services should assist, and not supplant, parents in this vital nurturing task. However, the jailing of a Roscommon father for 12 and a half years for the horrific and systematic sexual abuse and rape of his son, following on the seven year jail sentence of the boy's mother after being convicted last year on 10 counts of incest, sexual abuse and neglect of their children, shows that blind adherence to the doctrine of the "inalienable" rights of parents can result, albeit in exceptional circumstances, in horrific suffering for children. This shocking case brought into stark reality the fact that the best interest of the children came into play far too late, and that concerned child welfare and welfare personnel were defeated by the unqualified primary rights of parents as currently enshrined in our Constitution. The reality is that our most fundamental law upheld the right of these abusive and dysfunctional parents to retain control of their children, despite ongoing abuse and the growing knowledge of that fact by various care workers. Six small children were left to suffer a litany of abuse for years after these concerns about their neglect were first reported. It was to be eight long years before these vulnerable and violated children were finally taken into care. While the then Western Health Board did seek to place the children in care in 2000, this was prevented by a High Court injunction that was grounded in the Constitutional right of parents as the primary carers of their children. While the true scale of the neglect, physical abuse and incest perpetrated on these children only came to light following their eventual placement in care in 2004, serious questions must be asked as to why they were left in such an appalling environment for so long. Sadly, we've been here before. There have been other shocking child neglect and abuse cases and, indeed, failures to provide adequate supports and protection for children in the care of the State down the years that also gave rise to a chorus of calls for a c o n st i tu t i o n a l amendment. We have had the various reports of residential child abuse, the Kilkenny Incest Inquiry Report, and the Kelly Fitzgerald Inquiry Report, among others - all graphic examples of how we have failed children. We must now ensure there are no more Roscommon-style horror stories. The ISPCC, along with numerous other voluntary child protection and child welfare organisations, has been campaigning for many years for the fullest vindication of children's rights in the Constitution. That is why we warmly welcomed the recently p u b l i s h e d recommendations by the Joint Committee on the Constitutional Amendment on Children, which incorporates an allparty agreement on the wording of an amendment to the Constitution to strengthen children's rights. Children's rights must be recognised as those of separate individuals, and their right to protection from any form of abuse must be strengthened. What parent does not want this level of protection for their child? Yours, Ashley Balbirnie CEO, ISPCC0

My poem to all the mothers in the Church on Mother's Day
Moms are great they always love us. They are like a shield that never get tired, always ready to protect us. They never ever give up on us, Good kids like me always respect our mothers and the bible said in Eph. 6:1-2 "Children obey your parents in the lord for this is right, honour thy father and thy mother which is the first commandment with promise" Moms are the best and they always will. I love you in a special way mom. Happy Mothers Day!! From Glory Beulah Echefu (Aged 9) Galway

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Galway Advertiser
41-42 Eyre Square, Galway. Tel: 091 - 530900 Fax: (General) 091 567079 Fax: (Advertising) 091 - 567150 Fax: (Newsdesk) 091 - 565627 Internet Address: http://www.advertiser.ie Printed by: The Irish Times, Liffey House, Tara St, Dublin 2.

BE A GALWAY VOICE

letters@galwayadvertiser.ie
The Galway Advertiser wishes to advise that it is not responsible for the content which appears in the letters pages and accepts no liability arising from publication of material on these pages. The Galway Advertiser, 41-42 Eyre Square, Galway. Tel: 091 - 530900. Fax (General) 091 567079 Fax: (Advertising) 091 - 567150 Fax: (Newsdesk) 091 - 565627 Internet Address: http://www.advertiser.ie / news@galwayadvertiser.ie

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HAVE YOUR SAY

46 O P I N I O N

March 11 2010

propaganda the Irish universities spin, to try to lure school leavers to come and study the sciences. All I can say is there is a difference between progaganda and reality and a lot of these applicants will be sorry indeed, once they graduate and find limited if any job opportunities at all in their chosen fields. In relation to Dr Morgan's assertion that 75 per cent of masters and Ph D graduates find employment in Irish industry and academia. Not so, the vast majority of Ph D graduates in the sciences, go on to do further research at postdoctoral level, positions I may add that are funded by the Irish taxpayer and which are short term contract in nature. The real statistic for the movement of Irish Ph D graduates into industry is nine per cent, that is less than one in ten. These are Irish Times-published statistics, written by one of their economist contributors, who does not have such a romantic view of employment prospects for Irish Ph D's. This paucity of movement of Irish Ph D graduates into long term positions in industry is a measure of the small number of Ph D. entry level positions available in Irish industry and its view which finds Ph D postgraduate training to be too academic in nature with little or no real world experience. Yours, Dr Desmond Nugent Aberdeen, Scotland.