VOL. XXV, Issue 5, UO

Comment

Features

Should UCD hold winter exams after Christmas?

Orla Keaveney & Nathan Young P7

The Work-Work balance of nursing students Andrea Andres

VOL. XXV, ISSUE 5

Proportion of young people working in Ireland at risk of poverty doubled in 2017

Science

P8

Sports

Autonomous robotic surgery: The new frontier

The refereeing rollercoaster

Lillian Loescher P12

Rory Clarke P20

THE UNIVERSITY

OBSERVER 29th January 2019

UNIVERSITYOBSERVER.IE

“As soon as you get into Direct Provision, you become a number” - Life as a student in Direct Provision

Brían Donnelly EDITOR Statistics from the European Statistical Office, Eurostat, released last week show that the proportion of working young people (aged 18 - 24) at risk of poverty more than doubled between 2016 and 2017.

At 9.3 per cent, almost one-in-ten working young people in Ireland are now at risk of poverty. This places the country among others such as Austria (8.4 per cent), Belgium (9.4 per cent) and the Netherlands (10.5 per cent) which are experiencing similar levels of at-risk-poverty in working youth.

The new data published by Eurostat put an end to the downward trend which had been seen in the country over the three years to 2016, where 4.7 per cent of young people in work were at risk of poverty, and is at odds with the general downward trend in other EU countries.

Among EU countries, Romania and Luxembourg had the highest rate of working young people at risk of poverty, at 28.2 per cent and 20 per cent respectively, while Czechia and Slovakia recorded the lowest for the year 2017, falling in at 1.5 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.

In total, 12 EU countries recorded rises in the proportion of working youth at risk, including Spain, Malta, Lithuania and Estonia, which experienced the highest proportionate rise within the EU. Greece, whose economy is expected to grow by 2.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, experienced the biggest drop in at-risk young workers, but remains high at 14.1 per cent.

Across the EU, 11 per cent of young workers are at risk, down 1.9 per cent from its peak in 2014. The figure is higher on average for those countries in the Euro Area countries, at 11.9 per cent, however, is still down on the previous year where it reached 12.6 per cent.

Ireland has experienced a high rate of growth in recent years with the Department of Finance forecasting GDP growth of 7.5 per cent for 2018. Figures released in December show that the economy grew by an annualised 4.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2018, while the unemployment rate in December was 5.3 per cent, down from 6.2 per cent a year earlier. Youth unemployment in December 2018 was 12.2 per cent, falling marginally from 12.3 per cent in November.

Speaking to Kildare FM on 25 January, Political Officer at the European Commission Representation in Ireland Tim Hayes said that the Eurostat figures “seem to indicate that people just aren’t earning enough, that they’re in low wage jobs, or perhaps part-time or zero-hour contract jobs.”

The figures come after the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Ireland released its Facts and Figures 2018 report this month which showed that 11.8 per cent of children and 10.2 per cent of persons under 60 were living in jobless households. Despite increases of between 4.7 and 5.5 per cent in disposable income and earnings, the report noted that 18.8 per cent of people were considered to be experiencing “enforced deprivation”.

Eurostat identifies individuals as being at risk of poverty if their equivalised disposable income is less than 60 per cent of the median equivalised disposable income after welfare transfers are accounted for. The equivalised disposable income is the total income of a household, after tax and other deductions, that is available for spending or saving, divided by the number of household members converted into equalised adults.

According to the 2017 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) report published by the CSO, approximately 109,000 people with jobs in Ireland are living in poverty. Social Justice Ireland, an independent think tank and advocacy organisation, recently stated in relation to the report, that while “many people assume that a job is an automatic poverty reliever...this is clearly not the case.”

Eurostat’s figures show that the proportion of all working persons over the age of 18 who are at risk of poverty rose by 0.3 per cent.

UCD Main Restaraunt (center) was boycotted by anti-direct provision campaigners in 2018

Dylan O’Neill DEPUTY EDITOR A UCD student has come forward to describe his experience of living under direct provision as “nothing better than what was happening with the Magdalene laundries.” Liam Hanley*, a first year sociology and social policy student, has spoken to The University Observer about his experience over the past two and a half years, attending UCD whilst living in a direct provision centre.

Having first come to Ireland as an asylum seeker, Hanley described the initial procedure upon entering the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) in Balseskin, Dublin. “There they get all your information, your particulars, your private information, they get them through medicals and everything. After a while, at least three weeks, you are then transferred to a centre out of Dublin, where you are then going to start your new life in a prison set-up.”

Asylum seekers entering direct provision are provided with a bed, food, access to a GP and €21.60 per week for all their expenses including transportation, toiletries and “meals for the day” if they are not in the centre at the set meal times. Hanley spoke of the restrictions he faced once he had settled into the centre, “you’re not allowed to work, you can’t open a bank account. You basically are stuck in there. You have got to adhere to all the meal times. Out of meal times, if you missed your meal, you missed your meal, that’s it.”

As of 29th June 2018, the Irish Government’s decision to opt-in to the EU reception conditions directive took effect and allowed asylum seekers who have been waiting nine months for a first instance decision to seek employment in Ireland. Permission for seeking employment is for 6 months at a time and applicants must re-apply in advance for permission to work, according to the Irish Refugee Council. This was later confirmed by a spokesperson from the Department of Justice, who added “the regulations provide access to both employment and self-employment in all sectors and categories of employment with the exception of the Civil and Public Service, An Garda Síochána and the Irish Defence Forces.”

“The Department of Justice does not take that lightly and remember we’re not even allowed to leave the state, because all our documentation is taken and we are given an identity by the department, which is not an ID, just to say you are an asylum seeker. That has a number so you lose your name instantly. As soon as you get into direct provision you become a number.”

Within the centre, Hanley has said that the living conditions operate under a “prison set-up”. “I feel

[management] are all taught and told that ‘these are the prisoners, you are jailors, you look after them.’” Describing the health services available to the centre’s residents, Hanley said, “mental health is the order of the day in all direct provision centres and no one bothers. We’ve got people that we just avoid because they are violent. Yes, we do have our medical cards. You get a GP as of when you need, but the GP has to be there or you have to leave [the centre], so medically you are covered like all other Irish people I suppose.” When asked by the University Observer for comment, a spokesperson from the Department of Justice said “any residents with complex medical conditions or identified vulnerabilities are transferred to RIA’s Reception Centre at Balseskin so that their needs can be addressed. RIA also holds on-site clinics to address any health issues with residents. A resident can apply for a transfer to another accommodation centre. This may be facilitated in exceptional circumstances, for example, a medical reason.”

Hanley entered UCD through an access course, before enrolling as an undergraduate in sociology and social policy. “It’s good studying, at least it brings a bit of sanity back to me, as opposed to living in Direct Provision where you sit all day, wait for your meal times, wait to go to the toilet, sleep, wake up and that is the routine.”

UCD was awarded University of Sanctuary status in March 2018, which permitted refugees and asylum seekers access free fees under the new policy. University College Cork, University of Limerick and Dublin City University are the only other universities in Ireland to have been awarded University of Sanctuary status. “Coming to UCD has been a change, it has been a daybreaker for me. It’s been everything for me, I regained my sanity, I consider myself as a human being again.”

Despite not paying college fees, transportation is still a concern for Hanley on a day-to-day basis. “I started my first year, I moved to Waterford. In Tramore, I had to wake up at 3:30am and walk for an hour to catch my 5am bus in the city centre. Travelling has been a killer and going through the day without a meal. Going back to try and catch my supper, which was never possible, because I would get back to the centre after 8pm. When I get there, there’s nothing left.” When asked if he could apply to transfer to a direct provision centre closer to the Belfield campus, Hanley replied, “I wouldn’t get a transfer because the Department of Justice will always tell you that it is not their priority for any asylum seeker to be attending college, it is a choice.”

This situation has led to many problems both academically and socially while he attends UCD. “I’m behind in everything because I can’t do classes late in the afternoon...or I have to go without a meal.” When he

is unable to attend lectures in the afternoon, Hanley has received help from some of his lecturers who “understand something about Direct Provision...and they will be very accommodating, that will want to assist out of lecture times and out of tutorial times. I am very grateful for those that do understand and they offer support and assistance.”

Hanley spoke of how UCDSU has helped him in attending college,“there is an arrangement with the Students’ Union in UCD where they will provide lunch vouchers.”

A strong advocate for the end of direct provision, Hanley believes that the centre of the problem is that “people don’t know anything about it. They don’t know the kind of life, they are not exposed to it. Direct provision is there, it’s being spoken about but no one says the truth.”

Speaking about how direct provision will be perceived in the future, Hanley said that “I know in the future, this will haunt the government, this will haunt the state.”

“I am very pitiful of the children that live in direct provision because they don’t have a life that children should have. I would also plead with whoever is in power to at least get the children and single mothers accommodated in a decent manner if they still want to keep the system, because it just doesn’t work for the children. It’s a disgrace.”

“I just believe that [the Irish Government] must end Direct Provision, they must stop deportations, they must give the full and unhindered right to work. People must be allowed to get driver’s licenses and drive to work. People must be allowed to open bank accounts. The people must get back their lives and just be treated like human beings.

I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

Information received under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 shows the total number of people living in direct provision centres in Ireland is 5,938, as of 2nd December 2018. The University Observer has learned that there are 26 registered students currently living under direct provision, according to UCDSU. The University Observer approached the Department of Justice for comment, to which a spokesperson replied “It is important to stress that in general, the majority of those living in RIA accommodation centres, have either made claims for international protection that have not yet been positively determined or their claim has not been successful and they are challenging a decision through the Courts. Applicants who have been granted status or a permission to remain – either because their claim for international protection has been accepted or on other discretionary grounds – should no longer be residing in accommodation centres as they have the same housing, social welfare and other rights as everyone else.” *Name has been changed.

29TH JANUARY 2019

1

NEWS

Women only posts in Irish universities likely to be challenged in court

Campus news in brief Brían Donnelly

House price growth near UCD among highest in Dublin The price of housing rose by 6.8 per cent in Dun LaoghaireRathdown, the administrative district in which UCD is located, in the year to November 2018, figures released by the Central Statistics Office show.

The figures also show that average house prices in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown reached almost €620,000 in the 12 months to November 2018.

The rate of inflation for house prices in Dublin generally reached 4.6 per cent in the same period, suggesting that demand for housing in areas close to University College Dublin is greater than in other areas in the capital.

Elsewhere, house prices in Fingal grew by 3.9 per cent, the lowest rate in Dublin.

The median, or ‘middle’, price of a house in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown was €535,000, while the median figure was €365,000 for Dublin as a whole. In South Dublin, close to UCD, the median price is lower than that of the capital at €329,150, while in Dublin City it is €365,000.

The median price in Fingal is €325,000.

The price of residential apartments in Dublin grew by 6.5 per cent in the year to November 2018, while national apartment prices grew by 9.8 per cent.

Andrea Andres:

The plan to establish up to 45 women-only posts in Irish universities over the next three years is likely to be challenged in court due to the plan being seen as “positive discrimination” by some.

The Department of Public Expenditure expressed concern that the plan could run into legal trouble in April of last year. In response to this, Louise McGirr, the Head of the Civil Service human resources, wrote that the plan was being described “as positive action but I am not sure if it is more along the lines of positive discrimination. Positive action being lawful and positive discrimination is not.”

She continued, writing that “positive action is not ringfencing posts for people of a protected characteristic (i.e being female in this case) but you can give preference to an underrepresented characteristic (in this case women) all other things being equal and the candidates being equal on merit.”

Speaking to the The Independent.ie, Claire McDermott, a solicitor specializing in employment law, from the Flynn O’Driscoll law firm, said that “there may be an equality issue there. But they are allowed to have a bias towards female roles if there is specific policy there . . . What they’re trying to do is address a gender imbalance in the

workplace.”

The Department of Education has also stated that “the design of the initiative was supported by detailed legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General . . . detailed implementation arrangements will be guided by further advice to ensure that the approach is legally robust.”

Irish law prohibits discrimination under nine distinct grounds including gender and the plan of female-only posts may breach this law. However, models such as these have been implemented in other European countries, including the Netherlands, with much success.

The Department of Education had been closely consulting with the University of Delft, which offers women-only fellowships at assistant, associate and full professorship level. These have been a success, leading to the number of positions available being increased from 10 to 13. The university explained to the department that they introduced the creation of women-only posts due to the “serious and persistent backwardness [in the numbers] of women scientists.”

A man took this case to the Institute for Human Rights in the Netherlands, claiming that these women-only fellowships infringed his right to equality. However, the

court ruled that this is a positive action measure, therefore it is permissible.

The Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor introduced the plan last November to address the “paltry proportion of women in senior third level positions.” She wrote in The Independent.ie that she “is prepared for some minor backlash to these femaleonly professorship appointments,” and that she “will not apologise or shirk from [her] responsibility to make the third-level sector an equal one.”

She has said that she’s “not concerned” about any legal challenged that her plan might face. She has also taken “very strong legal advice” from the Attorney General and has reviewed relevant European case law. She is “sure that that advice is very robust and will stand up to legal challenges.”

The Netherlands and Ireland are not the only countries to introduce such measures to date. Germany and Australia have launched similar programmes - The University of Melbourne advertised positions at lecturer, senior lecturer and associate lecturer level to combat the lack of women in its school of Mathematics and Statistics. The Max Planck Institute in Berlin has also introduced a womenonly programme for its senior academic roles. However, the data gathered from these experiences abroad revealed that the path to reaching gender equality is “neither linear nor guaranteed, and the rate of improvement at senior levels in HEIs internationally is extremely slow” according to a HEA report. Even countries that “have made considerable efforts to improve their gender equality still show significant under-representation of women at professor level,” such as in Germany where that figure stands at 29%.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) revealed that in 2017, 51% of lecturers are women while 24% of professors are women. According to the Gender Equality Taskforce, if Irish universities were to continue their current trends, it would take 20 years to achieve 40% gender balance at a professorial level. Minister Mitchell O’Connor has described this scenario as “unacceptable” and “a decisive response is now imperative.” She aims to achieve 40% of women to be in full professorial level by 2024. There also has been no female president in an Irish university while on two out of the 14 institutes of technology have a female president.

The first roles of this initiative will be available at September 2019.

UCD-owned charity has funded €170m worth of on-campus development since 2000 UCD Foundation CLG, a charity owned by University College Dublin which engages in fundraising for the furtherance of education and research in the University, posted a record €24 million in income at the end of the financial year 2017, which included a single €10 million anonymous donation to the company.

The company, which funds scholarships, awards, academic chairs and capital development within the University, has raised almost €170 million since 2000.

In the financial statements, released last semester, the directors’ reported that “2017 was a record year for attracting private funding to UCD. With the generous support of a number of donors to the University’s priority capital projects, we made progress on our Campaigns for Business, Science and Engineering & Architecture.”

The financial statements, which also report the level of earnings of senior staff within the company, show that the number of employees earning between €90,000 and €100,000 stands at 2, an increase of 1 since the previous year. The company paid out a total of €1,377,413 in salaries in 2017, an increase of €388,588 on the previous year, while employee benefits cost the company over €200,000.

UCD Foundation is fully funded by UCD, which means that 100 per cent of donations are available for the purpose intended by the donor.

Academics at risk of being “exposed” online for left wing views Nathan Young:

UCD study adds to evidence that caffeine during pregnancy is harmful to baby’s health Smaller birth size, shorter gestational duration and lower IQ are among some of the negative outcomes linked to maternal caffeine intake according to a study headed

by Dr Ling-Wei Chen, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nutritional and Life Course Epidemiology at UCD. The researchers included 941 mother-child dyads in the analysis.

While Dr Chen, who was appointed to the position in UCD in May 2017, wrote in an article on the study that “it is prudent to at least limit caffeine intake during pregnancy or when planning to conceive”, he said that the findings “are from observational studies, and observational studies cannot prove that caffeine causes these outcomes, only that there is a link between them. To prove causation, scientists would need to conduct randomised controlled trials.

However, to do so might be deemed ethically dubious.”

The World Health Organisation recommends an intake of less than 300mg per day, while organisations such as The Food Safety Authority of Ireland and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend an intake of less than 200mg per day.

2 VOL XXV, ISSUE 5

European Academics are becoming concerned by the rise of online “exposures”, by students who feel their professors and teachers are too liberal or left wing. This comes as the tactics of US websites such as “Professor Watchlist” and “Campus Reform” gain traction internationally, most notably in countries with either far right governments or vocal far right movements, such as Hungary, Brazil, and Germany.

Professor Watchlist, founded in 2016, is an American website run by the conservative political group Turning Point USA. The aim of the website is to “expose and document college professors who discriminate against conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom.” The website encourages users to submit “tips”, which can not only include news sources, but also photographic or video “evidence”. Once the site runners have what they believe to be a legitimate case, they upload a file with descriptions of events where the professor allegedly showed anti-conservative bias, along with any videos or pictures they have. Some of the images and files are from public sources such as twitter accounts or TV appearances, but others are videos taken during lectures.

The German “Alternative für Deutschland” (Alternative for Germany AfD) has already attempted to set up a website similar to Professor Watchlist for conservative Germans to expose their left-leaning teachers, however the website is currently unavailable, and instead an apology claiming the site was hacked takes its place. The AfD has a strong focus on what it sees as a “left wing clique” on university campuses, using its electoral success in the past two years to start asking questions about funding for left wing groups and other alleged ties to the far left. Last year, an AfD representative in Berlin’s state Parliament

asked three universities for the names of students’ union representatives. Two universities, Berlin’s Free University and Technical University declined on data protection grounds, but Humboldt University President Sabine Kunst has started a lawsuit to uncover the requested names.

Humboldt’s SU, The Refrat, has expressed concerns that exposing the names could lead to them being used by “Political Enemies.”

In Hungary, media outlets such as 888 are encouraging students to expose their left leaning teachers also. An article by a journalism student at Eötvös Loránd University claimed that the Department of Media and Communication at that University was one sided propaganda against the Government of Viktor Orbán. Ferenc Hammer, head of said department published a response, correcting factual errors from the article. In response, 888 alleged that it was “ethically questionable” to do this, claiming it was a “veiled threat” against students who disagree with their teachers. They also provided an email address to “share your story” for people “sick of unwanted left-wing politics in the campus classroom.”

As was reported in The University Observer in September 2018, Hungary banned Gender Studies programs from being offered in Universities that receive state funding.

After the election of proto-fascist Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil last year, universities were raided by military police and Bolsonaro’s supporters have condemned the “corrupt ideologies” of the academic community. Fellow Social Liberal Party member and state deputy of Santa Catarina Ana Caroline Campagnolo created a WhatsApp channel so that students could “film or record any partypolitical or ideological expressions that humiliate or offend

[their] freedom of faith and conscience.” The founder of Turning Point USA and Professor Watchlist, Charlie Kirk has praised the Bolsonaro regime, saying on Twitter: “I love Jair Bolsonaro the new President of Brazil. He has identified Marxism has a key threat to the future of Brazil...

They call him ‘Trump of the Tropics!’”

In response to these trends, many academics are calling for tighter protections, against both filming in the classroom and the targeted harassment that often accompanies being exposed. In a report on how such harassment and attacks are dealt with, Professor Carolyn Gallaher of the American University in Washington outlined a spectrum from “robust defense [of academic freedom]” to “on the spot reproach [of academics]”, citing several cases where professors were fired or punished without due process in an attempt to avoid scandal.

Another issue she described was that many university administrators don’t understand online harassment, including not knowing what doxing is. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has two recommendations on how to respond to these attacks.

Firstly, university actors from governing boards to faculty must “aggressively defend academic freedom both collectively and individually”, and secondly, university administrators must limit or prohibit “surreptitious recording of classroom discourse or of private meetings between students and faculty.”

While many lecturers may support these protections, it’s difficult to see any of them being implemented in Hungary or Brazil where the Governments continue to disregard academic freedom in favour of right-wing populism.

British universities’ place in EU research projects uncertain

Gavin Tracey: As the possibility of a no-deal

Brexit becomes increasingly likely, and with time running out before the March 30th deadline, those involved in the higher education sector in the UK are becoming increasingly worried with what this would mean for British universities. Among the various concerns is the question of the grants worth over £1 billion that British universities receive annually from the European Union as members of the Horizon 2020 programme.

Horizon 2020 is an EU research and innovation programme that makes some €80 billion available to universities over a 7 year period (2014-2020). As this programme reaches its end, plans are in place for its successor, Horizon Europe, another 7 year programme, which will have more funding, around €100 billion, to distribute among EU institutions. It has been estimated that the UK received around €8.8 billion in EU funding

for research between 2007 and 2013, and contributed an estimated €5.4 billion. The UK has also been the most successful country in receiving grants from the European Research Council, being awarded over 1,850 grants between 2007-2017, the most of any EU member state.

Recipients of these funds have been awarded numerous honours, including six Nobel prizes.

However, many are warning that time is running out for the UK to reach a deal that would allow them to benefit from Horizon Europe, this time as an external or associate member. This would require that the UK pay into the scheme, a sum that is estimated to be between £1 - 2 billion pounds annually. Their position as a net beneficiary, receiving more money in grants than they paid in, would certainly not be feasible after Brexit, regardless of a deal being struck or not. Even if a deal is reached by the March deadline, many are concerned that this would not leave the

UK with enough time to have everything in place to secure funding under the Horizon Europe programme. A failure to do so could possibly lead to British universities falling behind their European counterparts.

Not only would a no-deal Brexit lead to the UK being unable to apply for the Horizon Europe funding, it would also disrupt any research that is currently being undertaken under the existing Horizon 2020 project.

However, Brexiteers in the government are likely to balk at any suggestion that the UK pay anything to the EU. The Higher Education Minister Sam Gyimah has said previously that Britain does want to continue in the Horizon project, but told the commons that “we will not do it at any price.” He stated that he would fight for the right for British scientists to move freely between the EU and UK - although how this would be possible without the UK signing up for the remaining three pillars of the common market remain unclear.

Theresa May has expressed her support for continued cooperation in this regard, stating in a speech given in May 2018 that “the UK would like the option to fully associate ourselves with the excellence-based European science and innovation programmes, including the successor to Horizon 2020.” Chris Skidmore, the new Universities and Science Minister has said that any talks concerning the inclusion of the UK into any future EU funding project could take over a year. Despite his meeting with the EU Commissioner for Research, Science and Communication Carlos Moedas, which he described as being a positive one, Skidmore has said that until there is certainty over the manner in which the UK will leave the EU in March, no talks can begin.

Talks would have to begin after the March deadline, when the UK has ceased to be a member state.

The UK may also face challenges coming from within the EU. A Romanian MEP who is one of the two rapporteurs leading talks on the future rules of the Horizon Europe project, Dan Nica, has suggested that associated countries should not be granted European Research Council (ERC) grants. This, as well as more technical matters of having agreements and proper legal infrastructure in place mean that the future for British universities as leader of European research is uncertain at best. The vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool Janet Beer wrote in the Guardian earlier this month that without a deal “it is no exaggeration to suggest that this would be an academic, cultural and scientific setback from which it would take our universities and our country decades to recover.”

HEA report reveals precarious nature of third level student numbers and funding Dylan O’Neill: Higher Education: Key Facts

and Figures (2017/2018), a report published by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Statistics Unit on Friday 18th January, has shown that in 2017/2018, the total number of new students entering third-level education as a full-time undergraduate was 44,124. This figure is a 6% increase “in full-time undergraduate new entrants in the last five years” and brings the total number of students in higher education to 232,000, the highest enrollment has ever been.

Interim Chief Executive Paul O’Toole wrote in the report: “there were 70,515 graduates of higher education institutions in 2017, of which 48,931 were undergraduates and 21,584 were postgraduates. This represents an increase of 16% over the last 5 years. At 38%, the greatest increase in graduates in 2017 is in Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics compared to 2012.” In the academic year 2017/2018, the HEA found that Arts & Humanities and Business, Administration & Law were the most popular areas of study, accounting for 43% of graduates from higher education institutions.

In a press release from the HEA, Minister of State Mary Mitchell O’Connor welcomed the increased number of students, stating “higher education is no longer a stepwise progression from school, the message that education is a lifelong pathway is gaining momentum. In the last year 39,682 people aged 25 or over have made a conscious and life changing decision to return to education as an undergraduate, either for the first time or to re-skill in a new area of study.”

Academic staff also saw an increase in the total number employed in higher education institutions. A steady rise over the period of 2013-2017 saw academic staff numbers increase from 9,000 to 9,686, a rise of 27% over the last five years. Understandably, the rise in the number of academics and teaching assistants would be required to accommodate the increase of students, but the financial budget of the report gives little to no reassurance that this trend can continue.

The report revealed that of the €2.43 billion of their income from the 2015/2016 budget, €1.15 billion was sourced from government-funded exchequer fees and student paying non-exchequer fees. Interestingly, the exchequer fees only made up €301,850,00 of the HEA’s income, which is less than half of what non-exchequer fees amounted to at €851,655,000. State grants made up only €616,074,000 of the HEA’s income for the same period, with the remainder coming from awarded research grants and outside contracts. During the 2015/2016 period, nonEU students attending higher education institutes made up 5% of the total number of undergraduate students. In the latest report, that has risen to 7%, and the financial contribution that foreign students make can be seen as an important source of income for higher education institutions.

Andrew Grossen, International Campaigns Coordinator, UCD Students’ Union said; ‘While it’s great to see so many international students enrolled in Irish higher education, the reliance on high tuition fees from non-EU students

concerns me. It is well understood in the international student community that we are the “cash cows” of the current system, regardless of our own financial situation.

The fee-increases can be very concerning. This reliance can also incentivise the University to invest in projects and services that would benefit a few students rather than all students. It should not be a case of cynical money making schemes or EU versus non-EU student investment, it should be student investment.’

Comparing the findings of the report to the Government Budget 2017, then Minister for Education Richard Bruton said that he would pledge €37 million to the higher education sector in 2017, which would increase by €17 million in 2018 as he said “it would give colleges and universities greater certainty in planning for the coming year.” However, with the size of the difference in income between exchequer and non-exchequer fees, there is still doubt over the reliance placed on student-paying fees to support the higher education sector. Institutes of Technologies (ITs) seem to be the most at risk of a lack of government funding with €265,479,000 in income attributed to non-exchequer fees and only €41,011,000 from exchequer fees, giving an exchequer/Non-exchequer fees ratio of 0.2.

In July of last year, prior to Budget 2019, the Irish University Association called for a €130 million increase

in core funding and a further €104 million lift in capital investment to “inject essential resources into our universities...following a decade of underinvestment in the sector.” In their budget submission, discussing the staffing of higher education institutions, the IUA also said that the Employment Control Framework, “may have been appropriate in recessionary times, [but] its continuation is stifling the capacity of universities to respond to the rapidly changing needs of the economy and to compete effectively in an internationalised higher education environment.” §USI President Síona Cahill has said on the figures in the report that the“Department of Education and skills investment in core funding has failed to meet the deficit, never mind keep pace with increased numbers, which is why USI have consistently called for a publicly funded model.The figure relating to the 20% part-time and remote student intake means that investment in student supports is needed now more than ever to keep track of the needs of a more diverse student body in more diverse modes of education. This is especially important as 83% of part time students are mature.The improvement in grades noted by the figures is primarily in our view due to the drive to improve teaching and learning - to create more innovative and engaging modes of teaching and assessment, and engage students in their own learning.”

NEWS

National news in brief Gavin Tracey

UCC to remove James Watson’s name from science building University College Cork are likely to take steps to remove any connection between the university and the renowned scientist James Watson. This comes after recent comments he made in which he repeated his belief that black people are less intelligent than white people due to their genetics.

Watson, along with his partner Francis Crick, won the nobel prize in 1962 for their discovery of double helix shape of DNA. Watson made similar comments in 2007, in which he stated that “there’s a difference on the average between blacks and whites on IQ tests. I would say the difference is, it’s genetic” and all one needed for proof of this statement was to ask an employer who had black employees. Although he apologised at the time, he has now doubled down on these remarks in a recent documentary.

UCC named the building at the Brookfield Health Science Complex after Watson in 2016. Despite some criticism of this decision at the time, UCC defended the decision based on the fact that he was such an important figure in scientific history and culture. However after these recent comments, Professor John McInerney, a member of the UCC Department of Physics said “every trace of this vile and loathsome individual should be scrubbed from this university and any other institution which he may have contaminated with his actual or virtual presence.”

Trinity College seeks €1.7 million in unpaid fees from students An administrative error in Trinity College has led to the college undercharging some students, and are now seeking to recover €1.7 million euro from students. Some 509 students have been affected. These students had applied for a SUSI grant and had been rejected, but due to an oversight, Trinity charged them as if they had been successful. Trinity have reached out to the students and informed them that they owe the college money, which in most cases is around €3,000. However it has been reported that some students owe up to €9,000 to the college.

In a normal case whereby a student owes TCD money, they will not be allowed to graduate or access their exam results, but assurances have been made that this will not be the case, so long as the students agree to sign up to a repayment plan.

Irish pharmacy students protest over high fees and unpaid internships Irish pharmacy students have warned that there is a danger that the profession will only be accessible to “the children of wealthy parents, or the children of doctors who didn’t get into medicine” due to their increasingly expensive fees.

According to RTÉ, fees have trebled in recent years, and now stand at over €8,000 per year. As well as this, four and eight month internships, that are mandatory in order to complete the course, no longer offer paid positions. Before the removal of payments, pharmacy students could earn up to €22,000 in their internships.

Although some clarity has been given, with the three colleges that offer the course, RCSI, Trinity, and UCC, stating that internships could be paid or unpaid, students are calling for more clarity on the issue. Their cause has the support of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) who organised a protest last Thursday 24th January.

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NEWS Brazilian government threatens academics with “ideology test”

International News in Brief Gavin Tracey

Women who win academic prizes receive less money and prestige A team of researchers from Northwestern University found that women who win prizes for their scientific achievements receive less money and less prestige than men in the same fields. The researchers found that women won 64 cents for every dollar won by men. Women have made great advancements, from 1977 where women won only 5% of prizes, which has gone up to 27% in 2017. However, as women hold roughly half of the PhDs in the fields examined by the researchers, they still remain underrepresented. Of the 583 Nobel prizes that have been awarded since 1901, only 51 have gone to women.

Writing in Nature, a scientific journal, the researchers say that big prizes catch both the eyes of the public and granting agencies, thus women’s underrepresentation has a snowballing effect, as they then are less likely to receive funding than their male counterparts.

Brazilian newspaper O Globo has claimed that the Brazilian Ministry of Education may be directed to administer “ideology tests” to any academic who wishes to receive any publicly-funded scholarship. Although a government spokesman denied the rumour, it is widely believed that it was leaked by the government in order to further intimidate academics.

Under the new far right President Jair Bolsonaro, many academics in Brazil are fearful for what his presidency has in store. Bolsonaro has stated previously that he believes universities are sites whereby “leftist propaganda” is spread, and recently the military police confiscated teaching materials, claiming that they contained false information about Brazil’s former military dictatorship.

Bolsonaro has openly praised the former military dictatorship, infamously claiming that “the dictatorship’s mistake was to torture but not kill.” Many are concerned that the history of Brazil’s brutal military dictatorship may be censored for propaganda purposes.

Teachers and academics are being subjected to greater scrutiny and surveillance, such as an anonymous tip line where students can report teachers who display “ideological behaviour.”

Democrats push to fund research on gun violence After the 2018 midterm elections, the Democrats have regained control of Congress for the first time since Barack Obama’s first term in office. Democrats now have control of important oversight and budgetary committees, including the House Science Committee, led by Democrat Eddie Johnson, who has put forward a proposal that would give federal agencies some $40 million annually for gun research. This would be an enormous jump in funding, as the US government has only spent around $5 million over the past 20 years.

The lack of funding is due to a Republican bill passed in 1996, which linked the study of gun violence with attempts to ban guns, leading to nearly all research on the issue being banned. This has come under repeated criticism, with over 30,000 people dying each year from gun related deaths in the United States. Although the majority of Americans when polled on the issue believe that there should be stronger gun laws and regulations in place. Any legislation in this direction would be met with massive pushback from Republicans and the numerous lobby groups and special interests from the gun industry, a multi-billion dollar business.

Oxford opens up womenonly fellowship to men Orla Keaveney:

A previously female-only junior research fellowship at Oxford University has been opened to applicants of all genders due to its breach of equality law, according to University administrators.

Since the 1930s, the Joanna Randall-MacIver fellowship has been awarded to female academics undertaking post-doctoral research in the fields of Fine Arts, Music or Literature. However, Oxford’s Council have ruled that the fellowship was discriminatory and will no longer be exclusively offered to women.

The fellowship was founded by archaeologist David Randall-MacIver in honour of his wife following her death in 1932, on the condition that it be offered only to female academics. It has helped the careers of dozens of women since then, including famed archaeologist Georgina Herrmann OBE and Jennifer Mundy, The Tate’s Head of Art Historical Research. Now all applicants will have a chance to earn this fellowship, and the change may pave the way for other female-only fellowships and awards to become open to men.

In reaching their decision, the Council cited the 2010 Equality Act which makes it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of “protected characteristics”, including gender. However, exceptions can be made for “positive action”, which allows employers to help candidates who are under-represented because of a protected characteristic.

Many argue over whether programs like the Joanna Randall-MacIver fellowship are in violation of the Act or if they should be considered a positive action. This is especially unclear in the case of a fellowship, as the recipients are technically students undertaking research rather than employees, but receive £46,800 over two years to put towards living expenses as part of the fellowship.

When the change was announced, an Oxford spokesperson stated that the University is instead focusing on alternative diversity tactics: “Several initiatives to promote equality, including strengthened recruitment processes and professional development programmes for female academics, are now well-established and beginning to show an impact at all levels, including professorial posts.”

In a 2017 Equality Report, Oxford University found that while its total staff was 50% female, just 25% of professors were women, in line with the national average.

Statutory professors, the most senior role in Oxford, are only 17% female. These statistics are an improvement on the 2013 ratios, and differ drastically with the situation in

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the 1930s. However, women are still under-represented at the top levels of academia within Oxford, and many are concerned that removing advancement opportunities like women-only fellowships could impair this progress.

Oxford has a chequered history with relation to gender equality since it was founded in 1096. It only started awarding women with the same degrees as men in 1920, being the second-to-last university in the UK to do so.

Even after this, Oxford continued to discriminate against women by limiting the number of female students accepted to 25% from 1927, a ruling which was not abolished until 1957. Some colleges within the university did not begin admitting women until 1985.

More recently, last year the university claimed to add 15 minutes to exam times in maths and science because “female candidates might be more likely to be adversely affected by time pressure.” While this was an effort to address the imbalance in male and female students achieving first-class honours, the reasoning behind the extension drew a mixed response as some felt it missed the mark.

With this historical bias Oxford has shown in favour of men, female-only fellowships are seen by many as a way for the university to atone for its former bad practices, and to level an uneven playing field. Elizabeth Cullingford, a previous Joanna Randall-MacIver fellowship and current Professor at the University of Texas in Austin, expressed this view in a recent interview: “There have been ‘men only’ stipulations on most Oxford emoluments for roughly the last thousand years... [women] still have a bit of catching up to do.”

This move away from positive action could affect wider groups than just women: for example, Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities are even more starkly underrepresented, making up just 8% of Oxford’s academic staff according to the 2017 Equality Report. The changes made to the Joanna Randall-MacIver fellowship could possibly lead to a lack of such opportunities being created for groups that are often overlooked or disenfranchised with academia. As Oxford is among the most famous and prestigious universities in the world, the example it sets is likely to be adopted by other institutions, which could have an impact on academics beyond those eligible for this particular fellowship.

The next round of Joanna Randall-MacIver fellowship applications are expected to open in May, and will be the first since the change was implemented. It remains to be seen if the program will have its first male fellow in 2019.

With World Health Organisation’s estimation that about 250,000 additional people will die as a result of climate change each year from 2030 to 2050, and IPCC’s drastic report warning of dire consequences on human lives if no immediate substantial action is undertaken, Climate Case Ireland has gained attention due its timely appeal. The representatives of the Case are prepared for contingencies as the plan going forward is highly dependent on the outcome of the court hearing. Even as dates for the hearing are set, the team is prepared for a delay, if the court postpones it, as this is not uncommon for public litigation cases.

The desired changes that representatives of Climate Change Ireland hope to see are more effective policies and plans to address climate change on the part of the Irish Government and to generate momentum in climate change action in Ireland. Daly commented, “what we need is bold, transformative climate policies across all sectors of the economy.”

Besides the outcome of Climate Case Ireland, what also remains to be seen is the political will of Richard Bruton, the new Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, to affect climate change policy-making in Ireland.

COMMENT

The Leaving Certificate nightmare: Is there an escape?

With the closing date for CAO applications approaching, and third level institutions making a final push to recruit first years, Killian Conyngham assesses if the Leaving Certificate is fit for purpose in assigning university places.

The Leaving Certificate and CAO system has serious problems. This no longer seems to be a controversial statement. Talk to teachers, students, parents, employers, university staff and almost anyone else about the Leaving Certificate or CAO and a common theme will quickly emerge. They will almost all take the opportunity to list their grievances with the final exam of the Irish second level education system, and the points based application system that accompanies it. It seems even those on the Leaving Certificate exam board are aware of this, as in 2018, Higher Level English students were asked to discuss, and offer recommendations on how to improve, the education they received. With the transition to the new Junior Certificate Cycle almost complete, and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s Senior Cycle Review well under way, the stage seems set for a big

change to the system as we know it.

And yet, large scale change is far from guaranteed.

The Leaving Certificate has been in place since 1924 and reform has been slow and often small in scale. Issues raised as far back as the 1960s and 70s, such as the over-emphasis on points and lack of preparation for third level, continue to be unresolved. There is no denying that education reform is a complex issue. Inaction, however, is not a valid response, especially in the face of the many pressing issues created by the Leaving Certificate and CAO in their current form.

One of these issues is the inequality of results apparent in the current Leaving Certificate and CAO system. Data collected by the Irish Times indicated that schools in disadvantaged areas of Dublin had college progression rates as low as 7%, while their counterparts in Dublin

14 had rates consistently above 90%. While this disparity is likely in part due to the significant costs associated with 3rd level education, and other external pressures, the impact of the Leaving Certificate and CAO system cannot be discounted. According to a recent study conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI), the gap between DEIS schools and non-DEIS schools in terms of CAO points was in fact widened by recent reforms to the Leaving Certificate grading scheme. This study also

“Issues raised as far back as the 1960s and 70s, such as the over-emphasis on points and lack of preparation for third level, continue to be unresolved” mentioned the ‘normalisation of grinds’ as an emerging issue. As more students opt to take grinds, those who do not have the time or money to do so find themselves with yet another disadvantage in the fervent race for points.

Another effect of the fierce competition of the Leaving Certificate is on mental health. Leaving Certificate students are placed under incredible stress, due to the short time frame in which points are earned and their perceived allencompassing nature. This stress and pressure has become normalised to the point where the ‘Leaving Certificate nightmare’ has entered the collective conscious, with 41% of respondents to a poll on theJournal.ie still having dreams about the exam. This issue is only getting more severe, as rates of anxiety and stress are on the rise, according to interviews conducted with principals by the ERSI. The impact of this stress on already vulnerable teenagers must not be overlooked. The vast majority of exam systems globally have much less emphasis on the final set of exams, incorporating a healthy mixture of continuous assessment and project-based work. This approach is easier on students’ mental health and is more reflective of the type of the assessment they will experience in the very 3rd level courses the Leaving Certificate and CAO system is intended to prepare them for.

The system’s over-emphasis on points adds to its potential to demoralise and stress students. To get a place in most 3rd level courses, points are really all that matters.

Very few courses use portfolios, interviews or another

“points are a fundamentally limited measurement both of student performance, and, despite popular belief, of the difficulty of a course” exam, such as the HPAT, to try to account for more than just academic achievement. When they do, points from the Leaving Certificate are still often a significant deciding factor. However, points are a fundamentally limited measurement both of student performance, and, despite popular belief, of the difficulty of a course.

CAO points for courses only reflect the supply and demand for that course, with the threshold often changing wildly from year to year, sometimes by hundreds of points. There is nothing to say that a 300 point course must be easier than one that requires 590. Conversely, higher points courses may not necessarily be harder, and importantly each course will be difficult in its own way. A single number is completely insufficient in measuring a student’s abilities in a varied array of courses.

Students also often feel unwilling to ‘waste their points’ by choosing a lower points course, leading to many taking places in more popular courses, not out of interest, but simply because they themselves have fallen victim to thinking of their academic capabilities in terms of the points they achieve. These students and others who end up in courses they do not enjoy, find themselves with little recourse. Transfers, usually only allowed between similar courses in the same university, are not always granted and can prove overwhelming for some students who have to catch up on months of coursework. This same situation applies to students who receive their desired course in re-checks, leading to many simply being forced to stay in their current course or drop out, assuming they have not passed the threshold after which they are no longer eligible for free fees in the next year, and have not already paid for accommodation for the year.

Education reform is an incredibly complex issue, there is no denying that. There are few solutions without compromise. Ireland would not, however, be the first country to undertake serious educational reform. Many of the issues of the Leaving Certificate and CAO have already been tackled abroad. No system is perfect, but it is becoming exceeding clear that we can and we must do a lot better.

“Did my joke offend you?”-Does comedy have limits?

With notable figures throughout the comedic world getting embroiled in controversy over the content they produce, Michael Tuohy explores the question of where and how lines should be drawn in what jokes are acceptable.

We live in an interesting time. The vast majority of us are constantly active on social media networks, and there are two groups of people we’re all too familiar with. Those looking to “offend” and those looking to “be offended”.

Extremist trolls looking to get attention by irritating people, and extremist cry-babies looking to get attention by acting like everything, everywhere is an insult. Admit it, we’ve all come across these people and they’re both pains to deal with. We usually shrug or laugh them off and then go on with our lives, but the combination of the two extremes has led to an interesting issue being addressed: our sense of humour. Some would argue humour often goes way too far, relying on distasteful harsh stereotypes. Others would say humour has gone too soft, afraid to anger the politically correct sensitivities of the world. Does either side hold water?

Nothing is off-limits in comedy, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to tell any joke, any time. You shouldn’t have to be told that it’s unwise to go to a bar mitzvah and tell a Holocaust joke. There is a big difference between whether you can do something and whether you should, and that gets lost in this conversation almost immediately.

While no one should be forbidden from telling a joke, it’s reasonable to expect comedians to consider how the audience will receive it. If the only defence you have of a joke is that it is ‘just a joke though’, it may be wise not to tell it; it’s probably not a very good joke.

Socially awkward people looking for fast attention often become trolls, picking pointless fights in forums and comment sections. We all see them throw out swear words and slurs all the while rationalising their own behaviour as “a specific sense of humour”, and often times we simply ignore them. Is it better if we were to just adopt a nihilistic outlook or should we voice our anger when we feel a comedian has taken something too far? Of course we should use voice to respond. There are people that are trying to spread more hate and despair and disguising it as “niche humour”, and we should call them out on it. It is not a case of policing the things comedians can and cannot talk about, that’d be against free speech and would limit to our own growth as a community.

Then there are people looking to fight for a cause, which can be good. Many causes are admirable. They can set change in motion and let the world know when it’s time to correct something. Sarah Silverman is a notable comedienne who has garnered much acclaim and attention for incorporating social commentary into her comedy set, taking taboo subjects such as rape culture and making the punchline about society’s response and not the victim. The issue here for most comics who try to mimic Silverman and balance irreverent humor with social issues, lies with using the cause for the wrong reasons, say to fulfill an emotional, even selfish need, resulting in the joke coming across in bad taste. More often than not, if you’re fighting for something to fill a void and not because you want actual change, you’re liable to be more emotional and closedminded on the subject. This can also lead to woefullying

misinterpreting scenarios.

Of all things the 90s Comedy Central cartoon show Duck Man, might have made the most brilliant comments about comedy ever. The titular character becomes embroiled in a plot to bring down a “clean” comedian that makes it big with his jokes that are not offensive to anyone, though we never get to fully hear one of these jokes. Our hero comes along and says some of the most poignant words ever about the importance of comedy. “It’s precisely when humour is offensive that we need it most! Comedy should provoke! It should blast through prejudices, challenge preconceptions!

Comedy should always leave you different than when it found you! Sure, humour can hurt, even alienate, but the risk is better than the alternative. Demand to be challenged! To be offended! To be treated like thinking, reasoning adults!”

Equality for people of different races, religions, and genders is worth fighting for. But pent up emotion can explode at the wrong time and at the wrong people, leading us to demonise perfectly good ideas or causes. In reality, the best way to cause change in comedy isn’t to soften bigoted humour, but rather to amplify insightful humour.

Great comedians like John Oliver, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart have become some of the most trusted people in media, not because they wave their fingers and complain but because they apply humour, satire and common sense to issues that really matter. But let’s be honest, it’s the comedy that draws us in and gets us talking about these issues. Lots of people are engaging with subjects that they never would have been interested in, because the most successful and popular comedians introduce them in a way that makes it okay to laugh at. Making issues funny helps make them become more interesting to an audience that isn’t directly affected by it. It’s far easier to pay attention to a skilled entertainer than a stick in the mud on Twitter or in your chosen newspaper. If we were to go by the “no comedy can be offensive” guidelines, then not only would we lose these incredible truths, but also the great comedians that made it possible.

The question is how do we know when a line has been crossed? Sadly, the answer is not in any book and it’s not online, you just have to use common sense. You won’t always be in agreement. There are certainly people we have trusted before that have let us down. There are even good comedians that cross the line because comedy is a tricky tightrope, but it’s a tightrope that needs to be walked. Most comedians do. It shows how far we could go, and how far we probably shouldn’t go. It also shows that wrong steps can be made, but through the positivity that made them likable to begin with, they can get back on track. Some do this beautifully, others not so much, but if the alternative is to fear and judge everything, then comedy will be dead very quickly. So, push the envelope of what’s not accepted and keep on fighting for causes worth fighting for. Just be sure that you’re communicating it with the right intention, because the cost of the alternative isn’t worth it.

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COMMENT Buffer Zones: My right to swing my fist ends at the doctor’s office As the Government examine legislation to create “Buffer Zones” around Hospitals where anti-abortion protesters cannot assemble, Heather Reynolds considers the potential threat this poses to the right to protest, and other groups it may affect.

With the new legislation regarding termination of pregnancies coming into full effect from the 1st January, all eyes are on how smoothly this transition to more comprehensive medical care will run. Many have criticised the lack of time given for hospitals to expand their resources to include voluntary termination, and the lack of funding allocated to this expansion, leaving many wondering how immediately effective this care will be. While these queries remain valid, and the issues they may cause remain deeply important to those who may seek abortion services, a pressing issue at present is the question of “exclusion zones” at hospitals that provide these services.

As many around Dublin saw first hand leading up to the referendum, those who disagree with the provision of abortion services in Ireland are not afraid to publicly protest against the new legislation, and are unafraid to do so using graphic and disquieting imagery. These images were often paired with jarring slogans and information,

with varying levels of legitimacy in their sourcing. With a history of this type of public demonstration, it is no wonder that some fear the continuation of these protests, this time outside hospitals around Ireland. This has led to Minister for Health Simon Harris working on implementing these aforementioned “exclusion zones”, areas where individuals cannot hold demonstrations, protests, or distribute leaflets, at hospitals around the country. This was first proposed by Minister Harris shortly after the result of the referendum, when the memory of these protests were very present to all involved, and to many it remains a good idea.

However, these zones pose an interesting moral question, as it pits personal comfort against a legal right held by all Irish residents; the right to peaceful assembly.

According to Irish law, you have the right to assemble anywhere, at any time, so long as you do so peacefully, without weapons, and on public property, which includes the space surrounding institutions such as hospitals. As

the proposed legislation is not due to be released until the end of February, it is unclear just how restrictive it will be, whether it will simply prevent individuals and groups from protesting abortion services, or if it will ban all forms of assembly outside medical facilities. Theoretically, this has the potential to prevent future strike action or protests against other controversial medical practices, such as electroconvulsive therapy or the current practices surrounding transgender healthcare in Ireland.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has come out in support of the exclusion zones, and has hit out at the recent protests, however he has said that this legislation does need to be correctly balanced so that it does not impact the right to free speech, and by extension, the right to public assembly.

However, one or the other does need to be compromised, and so it becomes a case of which is the lesser of two evils; rolling back the scope of the right to public assembly, or the continued distress caused to the greater public by the

nature of these protests?

Anti-abortion protests are not a new phenomenon internationally. These graphic, intense demonstrations have been a part of life in countries with legal abortion for a long time, most notably in the United States, with Planned Parenthood being a major target. Planned Parenthood is a partially government funded organisation that provides reproductive healthcare and family planning methods to individuals across the US, and as a part of their services, provide terminations at many of their centres. Since they are well known, and do receive government funding, they are routinely targeted, with mixed results. While they rarely see change in legislation or funding due to these protests, they can often scare women away from the centres due to their intensity. These women may be attending the service to enquire about IVF treatment, to bring their newborn in for a check-up, to get a smear test, or perhaps, to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. These demonstrations do not discriminate in who they effect. Protesters in these cases do not care why you are going to see your doctor, simply that your doctor works in a building that sometimes also provides abortions. This is where the main issue with these protests lie.

When protests get this intense, women are scared away from following up on their health. They miss appointments because they do not want to have to interact with this distressing imagery and sometimes misleading commentary, and they may not have the time to reschedule. Thus, the issue of the protests moves away from being a comfort issue and instead becomes a healthcare issue. It is widely agreed that there is no room for intimidation in Ireland when it comes to barriers to access medical care, and that is the form of barrier these protests create. When it starts to actively impact people’s ability to access healthcare it becomes an even muddier issue, as these exclusion areas remain a potential start point for rolling back free speech and the right to public assembly. However they may be the only thing that can prevent women getting the medical care they need without fear, particularly pregnant women, whom these protesters have a history of focusing on abroad.

This legislation will end up being a balancing act between not rolling back the right to public assembly too far, and ensuring that individuals who wish to stand against abortion access do not have their right to free speech infringed upon, and safeguarding the access to healthcare that women need without persecution. The rolling back of rights can be infectious, and one small change can open a door to much, much larger ones, and so this is a bill to keep an eye on, particularly for those in trade unions, and within that group, particularly nurses and midwives.

Public assembly is an integral right in any country, and it is not something we should allow be swept away under a more palatable guise.

UCD’s war on the War on Drugs Having officially endorsed the Students for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) in November 2017, Nathan Young wonders whether the Union is doing enough for drug activism and harm reduction Ever since Richard Nixon declared a “War on Drugs” in 1971, zero-tolerance has been the philosophy of lawmakers and law enforcers world wide. Almost fifty years later, more and more people are starting to see this approach as an abject failure, leaving more and more people behind bars without any clear evidence that public health is benefitting.

Correlation between quantifiable measurements, such as rates of addiction or HIV infections through needle sharing, and poverty rates are far stronger than between said measurements and policing. The illegality of most drugs poses a greater public health risk, as people suffering from addiction are less likely to seek help, and as only unregulated and unscrupulous criminals deal drugs, they are far more likely to be spiked or contaminated with any number of substances.

Of course, the more historically aware reader knows that while the War on Drugs may be a public health disaster, its true aim was criminalising civil rights and anti-war activists. To this end, the war on drugs has been incredibly successful, not only in silencing hippies and black activists, but also in creating a method for racialised police power to be maintained despite movements towards equality. In Ireland, about 30% of the adult population have taken illicit substances at some point according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Among students, however, the number is far higher. According to a survey published by the Health Research Board, a body that works under the Department of Health, a whopping 82% of students have tried illegal drugs at least once.

With this context in mind, it’s beyond appropriate that the student activists in UCD are seeking to get the law changed, and to provide the harm reduction resources that the state and society at large look down upon with contempt. The Students’ Union officially voted to recognise the UCD chapter of the Students for a Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) in November of 2017 as campaign group, under the jurisdiction of the Campaigns and Communications Officer. While that role was vacant at the time due to Barry Murphy successfully running for president in the wake of Katie Ascough’s impeachment, support from other officers seems to have more than made up for it.

Then Welfare Officer Eoghan Mac Domhnaill put a motion to council that his office provide free drug testing which, while not perfect, mean that students who chose to use drugs can be far more discerning about what they put into their bodies. UCDSU are the only SU in the city to provide this service, and it’s rumoured that UCD’s example is being touted by SSDP nationwide to encourage the USI to bring this policy everywhere with tests still available through the Welfare Officer’s office on the SU corridor.

Awareness and information campaigns have also been a major component of UCDSU’s drug policy over the past few

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years. In 2016 and 2018, information and resources while using drugs was printed in Winging It in UCD handbook.

While its absence in the 2017 edition was conspicuous, it didn’t create much public outcry, being overshadowed by the academic year’s events. That year saw the rise of a poster campaign, putting posters in places such as toilet cubicles in venues hosting SU events.

As useful as Winging It might be, most people probably won’t have an issue to hand the first time they decide to try a new drug. Still though, although the poster campaign probably did reach more of the right people, there’s no harm having the information in both places. Incidentally, the most recent edition has more detailed information than the 2016 version. Current Campaigns and Communications Officer Tom Monaghan is clearly a supporter of the cause, having been on the committee last year, and before they were officially recognised, Luke Fitzpatrick had also been a committee member. Current Welfare Officer Melissa Plunkett helped organise a panel with the SSDP and the LGBTQ+ society last semester, discussing the phenomena of Chemsex. The SU also provided drug harm reduction information in relation to study drugs in the library stall before Christmas exams this year.

Between harm reduction and campaigning for legal changes, the SU definitely favours the former. This is entirely understandable, as in the short term it’s much easier to see results and potentially save lives. Furthermore, it’s hard to imagine either a Fianna Gael or Fianna Faíl Government liberalising drug law as much as student activists might want. There are murmurs from some, including senators Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Lynn Ruane, and the largely irrelevant Green party, that cannabis possession for personal use should be decriminalised. While that would be a nice start, it’s a far cry from an implementation of Portuguese style decriminalisation.

However, student activism seeking national change often begins from a point where the status quo seems immovable, yet the examples of marriage equality, condom availability, and abortion legalisation prove that while change may not be totally affected within any students academic career, it may be affected one day, with thanks to generations of student activists. This isn’t to knock the harm reduction efforts, which are good and necessary, and far better here than in, say, Trinity College, where the SSDP has no recognition in student life and the SU do comparatively little to reduce harm. Ultimately, it’s surprising how much the SU has managed to do on this issue, considering the number of other issues there were last year to focus on including the Repeal the 8th campaign.

So long as these campaigns continue, and continue to grow, UCD may well be the safest campus in Ireland to experiment with drugs on. Surely that must be part of some people’s holistic education.

COMMENT Head-to-Head

Should UCD hold winter exams after Christmas?

Credit: UCD Estate Services

YES

NO

Orla Keaveney

Nathan Young

The idea of post-Christmas exams horrifies most Irish students, but there’s actually a lot to be said for them as an alternative to the system we’re used to. By taking exams in the second and third weeks of January, rather than cramming them into the limited window between the end of lectures and Christmas, students get more time to prepare for their exams, with the inevitable stress spread manageably over a month, instead of crammed into a breakdown-inducing week.

We might worry that these exams would “ruin Christmas”, but let’s face it, Christmas has already been ruined for us under the current system. The best part of the festive season isn’t arguing with your family over a box of Roses or who gets to be the top hat in Monopoly. It’s the build-up to Christmas that everyone really loves, the chance to make merry with your friends, enjoy the buzz while present shopping and admire the decorations.

Unfortunately, the UCD experience of Advent mostly involves shutting yourself in the James Joyce library, stressed and isolated, with only the dismal string of fairy lights over the Clubhouse to remind you that it’s technically “the most wonderful time of the year”. Plus whoever you have for Secret Santa will have to make do with socks because you definitely don’t have time for thoughtfulness with the RDS looming.

Sure, we get a full month off when the exams are finished, but after that glorious week spanning Christmas to New Year’s, who really wants to be off in the middle of January? All your friends are either home in the sticks, back at work or too broke to do anything fun. It’s too short a break to take on a job and too dismal a time of year to go on holidays.Yet you don’t make any progress on your degree either (anyone who says they get readings done ahead of term is a liar, nobody really has that level of motivation).

So under the current system, we get one week to cram an entire semester of material, and three weeks of arsing around with nothing to do. The alternative would be seeing the last of UCD for the year after your last lecture, with your exams still far enough away that you could go on the tear for a few days before heading home to Mammy. For that lethargic interval after the highs of Christmas Day, you’d have something useful to do instead of rewatching Donald Trump’s cameo in Home Alone 2. Come mid-January, you’d rock up to the RDS – probably still looking like a sleep-deprived mess in fairness, because procrastination affects us all – but at least you’d have about a month of low-pressure prep behind you rather than a handful of caffeine-fuelled all-nighters. Doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

Another point to note is that UCD is mad for semesterisation, meaning it designs its calendar to make semesters one and two exactly equivalent to each other. But the fact is that there are a lot more weeks of the academic year after Christmas than before it, so UCD’s solution is to make semester one a frantic mess and then take things super handy in semester two. That’s why we don’t even get one official reading week in semester one, yet we’ve most of January plus two weeks in March off in semester two. Yes, there is an “unofficial” reading week for certain faculties, but that’s not true for anyone in a STEM courses where there are no such luxuries and we are very bitter about it. If UCD just pushed its winter exams into January, it would take a lot of the heat off semester one, and maybe everyone would get a chance to recharge, not just the ones who don’t even work that hard during the semester anyway (cough cough).

The reader is no doubt aware that Christmas exams suck. It’s difficult to study a semester’s worth of work in the one week before exams start, and so the option of being given more time may seem tempting. The trade off, of course, is that the majority of the Christmas holiday is spent either studying, or feeling guilty that one isn’t studying. The vast majority of students did at some stage have Christmas to worry through, during the Leaving Cert. Perhaps for a few days, the “official” dates of the holiday, relaxing was permitted, but for the majority of the “holiday” every moment of joy was tainted by the nagging dread of the revision not yet done.

Until quite recently, the weekend, or any other time “off the clock” was seen as sacrosanct in the working world, and if lives weren’t on the line, you could trust your time off as being that. One might have been aware that when one gets back to the office there’ll be a serious workload waiting, but one also knew that they couldn’t do anything about that now so they may as well enjoy the time off. It’s good for one’s mental wellbeing to have time off to relax, and during the semester, weekends and evenings are the time students have to worry about assignments, continual assessments, essays, and midterms. Why deny them the one period of genuine relaxation they have during the year?

One part of relaxing during the holidays is returning home to visit the family. Most students do this, some even enjoy doing this. This is especially important for students who are abroad for the semester. In Technological University for Dublin (TU4D), one of the largest institutions in the country with exams post-Christmas, any exchange student who is only there for semester one must either stay in Ireland for the Christmas holiday, or budget time and money into returning to Ireland just for exams. These are both grim prospects, each with extra hidden costs. What if one does stay in Dublin to avoid paying for flights home? Then they have to pay for an extra month of rent and food, and that ain’t cheap in the fair city.

The sensible choice, then, would be to not come to UCD on exchange. This would make us all poorer, not only from the loss of some of the cultural and intellectual diversity as a community, but also poorer in the sense of not having the cold, hard cash exchange students and their home institutions bring. Furthermore, exchange is all about give and take, so if UCD finds itself less able to host students, it’ll have to slash the number of students sent abroad, robbing many of their chance to see the world in what is often seen as the highlight of a student’s college career.

The final group who would be affected disproportionately by this move would be the academically-challenged student.

The people who aren’t sure if they passed everything, who need to know as soon as possible if they need to enroll to a repeat class. Currently, a student can take a mandatory module in semester one, fail through their own fault or something beyond their control, know they failed before the deadline to register to classes in semester two has passed, pay their fee, overcome the odds, and make it into the next year. If exams ended right before semester two began students in that situation could not take that path and may be held back an entire semester to complete a lone core module. This would result in the student ending up in a different year group than their friends, and generally just have a worse time of it for no good reason.

REBUTTAL

REBUTTAL

As anyone who has done the Leaving Cert is aware, the fact that the exams take place after Christmas does not mean that it’s easy or even possible for some to schedule Christmas fun time in a way that avoids the breakdowns mentioned above.

The only way to guarantee they don’t happen during Christmas is to have the Christmas exams already completed by then, what constitutes the “best part of the Christmas season.” But a fair case could be made for it being the three or four days after Christmas spent somewhere between hungover and drunk, eating leftovers, reading the books you got as gifts and also not caring about exams, something which is only possible under the current system. In fact, the evenings in the Clubhouse before exams create a real sense of camaraderie with classmates, a feeling of solidarity much needed at exam time. This would be severely diminished if we were to be sent home for a month before exams. Being isolated from the people who share your burden is tough, but for those who live down the country, or whose friends live down the country, or both, this is the reality they would have to face should this ridiculous rescheduling of exams come to pass.

As for semesterisation, UCD is “mad” for it because it’s good, and beneficial in dealing with other universities. It’s a handy, compatible way of organising the year. Many UK universities start their semester two as early as the 15th January.

Now, let’s consider a UK student doing an exchange here, for semester one. Having already either spent Christmas in Ireland alone or flown back and forth an extra time, by the time they finish their exams they’ll be a week or two behind their classmates. It’s absurd to expect students to do their study abroad here if we were to treat them like that. Of course, the alternative for the prospective exchange student would be to study in TCD instead. Not only would this have all the adverse effects described in your opening argument, but it would contribute to the dangerous and pernicious lie that TCD is a better university, simply because it’s the only option available for sensible exchange.

Ultimately, some boring people may well wish to spend Christmas doing homework, and those people can do the readings for semester two early. But for the sake of normal folk, things should remain as they are.

The “No” side does make some good points about needing time off from the stress of college, but unfortunately the stress of awaiting results from an exam you were underprepared for plagues most students over the long Christmas break. Most students are in college for just three or four years of your life (with the exception of a small number of courses such as medicine), so that would mean just a handful of holiday seasons spent with the prospect of exams ahead of you. Isn’t that better than having to repeat or even drop out because you didn’t have time to revise ahead of your exams?

There’s also the intensity of stress to consider. Having exams at the back of your mind for a couple of weeks isn’t necessarily pleasant, but it’s surely better than the intensity of study week, where every hour is precious. It’s a particular strain on students who are repeating modules from the previous semester and need that time to revise material they covered six months ago. Exams are unpleasant no matter how you look at them, but at least having time to prepare can mitigate the damage to your mental and physical health.

As for international students, the fact is that post-Christmas exams are quite common in other European countries, and that doesn’t deter students from spending semesters abroad at them. In fact, the more relaxed pace means that these students have more free time to experience a new culture, especially in the run-up to Christmas. And while travelling home and back over Christmas might be a pain, it’s arguably better than having to cram for exams and risk the complications that come with failing a module you took abroad. This is especially true for students from countries where Christmas isn’t as culturally significant, and they might not see the value in rushing through 12 weeks of a semester with no breaks just to have more free time towards the end of December.

As for the issue of students needing to repeat exams, it’s unclear how other universities with post-Christmas exams manage this but you’d imagine UCD would find a way to get as much repeat revenue as possible. After all, UCD doesn’t want its students dropping out. The University wants us to hang in as long as possible so they can keep getting our fees.

So I have no doubt that UCD would reorganise its system to make repeating modules manageable under this new system if they adopted it.

Nathan Young

Orla Keaveney

29TH JANUARY 2019

7

FEATURES How to become a saint in a modern Ireland Caoilfhinn Hegarty investigates canonisation in a 21st Century Ireland.

In a Western world permeated by Christian imagery and traditions, pretty much everyone is familiar with the idea of being a saint. The saints are supremely moral people with an unearthly capacity for goodness and kindness, who have never put a foot wrong in their life. They are vaguely mythical and completely inaccessible. Or are they? What makes a saint; what are the misconceptions people have; and how much does all this even matter anyway in an increasingly secular society?

Saints are present in multiple branches of Christianity, from Orthodox to Lutheran, but they are most commonly associated with Roman Catholicism. In historically Catholic countries, their names crop up on street signs, schools, and even sports teams. They still have a hold on the popular imagination too: despite its waning influence, the Church’s canonisation of individuals such Pope John

Paul II and Mother Teresa, made national newspapers around the world and drew huge crowds. In spite of all this there is still a lot of misunderstanding around the role saints have in the Catholic faith and what actually makes a saint in the first place.

Sainthood is, in essence, the declaration that a member of the faithful has entered Heaven. Contrary to popular belief, this does not happen immediately after death, even if the individual has lived a good life. Instead, Catholicism teaches that there is a period beforehand where people ‘undergo purification’, as the church catechism puts it.

This is known as Purgatory. One of UCD’s chaplains, Father Leon, describes it as a process similar to getting ready and dressed up to visit someone’s home and encourages people to think of it as a positive experience, ‘a gift’ rather than a roadblock. Of course, no one on Earth can be entirely sure

when someone “gets into Heaven”, but the Catholic Church has developed a fairly punishing criteria for canonisation, that it’s been using in some form since the Middle Ages.

First of all, the candidate in question must naturally

“First of all, the candidate in question must naturally be dead, in fact the Vatican won’t open investigations until someone’s been deceased for five years.” be dead, in fact the Vatican won’t open investigations until someone’s been deceased for five years. Once the local Bishop begins the investigation an exhaustive search for the deceased papers, writings begin and eyewitness accounts are compiled. When enough information has been collected, it’s presented to the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints in Rome, and the candidate is given the title ‘Servant of God’.

Next the Pope himself has to consider the case and decide to declare that the individual lived to ‘a heroic degree’ a life of virtue. Once this is done the candidate is given the title ‘Venerable’. In order to proceed the candidate then has to be proven beyond doubt to have performed a posthumous miracle, something that can’t be explained away by natural causes or science. If this is the case they receive the title ‘Blessed’.It is only when a second, equally scrutinised posthumous miracle is attributed that the candidate can finally be called ‘Saint’, sometimes decades after the investigation was first opened.

It should at this point be noted that there were, of course, plenty of saints before the Mediaeval period , including Jesus Christ’s own Apostles and most of Ireland’s best known saints. However individuals such as Patrick and Brigid are “recognised as ‘saints by acclaim’ despite never being subject to the formal canonisation process”. Father Leon tells us that this is because “there was no ambiguity about their reputation for sanctity and so the Church approves of their sainthood without formal recognition through the process of canonisation”; a relief for anyone fearing the loss of a certain public holiday.

One of UCD’s own founders, the Cardinal John Henry Newman, was given the title ‘Blessed’ by Pope Benedict in 2010, after his intercession was attributed to the recovery of a student in Boston named Jack Sullivan from almost total paralysis. Last year, his second miracle was approved by the Vatican, after the healing of an American

woman suffering from a life-threatening pregnancy defied doctor’s explanations. The woman had apparently prayed for Newman’s intercession. Newman, an Englishman, started his religious career as an Anglican priest, before studying Catholicism and deciding to convert in 1845. He became one of the most prominent Catholic theologians in the English speaking world, and believed that the lived experience of the faithful should be recognised as crucial to theological reflection. Father Leon explains that “Newman’s lifework centred on conscience- encouraging people to attend to the ‘still small voice’ in the human heart which, like a compass in thick fog, leads to truth”, he adds that conscience “acts as a guarantee” of the authenticity of Papal authority and has helped steer the Church through difficult periods.

Pope Francis currently holds the record for most saints canonised during a pontificate at 892. Once the pomp and circumstance of the canonisation process is over, a saint isn’t disregarded as a closed case. They’re supposed to play an active part in the Church and the lives of believers.

Catholic catechism declares that the Church sustains “the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors”, saints are prayed to for help, pilgrimages are taken to places associated with their lives, and their works are studied extensively. Father Leon sums it up: “The saints, because they were so close to God in this world and now enjoy the fullness of life in Him become channels of God’s grace and intercessors on behalf of the faithful still on their pilgrim way on Earth.”

A non-subscriber to the Catholic faith, or indeed any faith at all, might consider all this information to be vaguely interesting but ultimately irrelevant, yet it is the belief of Father Leon that “the saints shine like bright stars in the universe, not only for their religious beliefs but alsoperhaps more importantly- for their extraordinary human qualities of compassion, mercy, and service towards their fellow humans.” Perhaps the most compelling thing about saints is that they come from all walks of life: some were royalty and some were domestic servants, they lived out their faith in beehive cells, Nazi concentration camps, or from their own family home. By turn they were doctors, scholars, and activists. Ultimately they are intended not only to be examples of Christians, but of the best in humanity. Perhaps that’s something even a secular society can relate to.

“Pope Francis currently holds the record for most saints canonised during a pontificate at 892.”

The chilling reality of the Homeless Period Ireland Jade Wilson takes a look at how the worsening poverty and homelessness crises are leading to a struggle in affording fundamental sanitary wear.

Period poverty is the “silent struggle” that affects many people around the world every month. A lack of access to sanitary products makes attending school or work difficult and sometimes infeasible for those who menstruate. Many adolescents who are menstruating don’t go to school due to a lack of privacy, unavailability of sanitary disposal services and water shortages. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, students can miss out on up to five days of school per month or drop out due to insufficient access to water or hygiene facilities. The worsening poverty and homelessness crisis has also been exacerbating the issue for thousands of people here in Ireland.

A survey by Plan International Ireland, conducted in 2017, has suggested that more than 50% of Irish people aged 12-19 have experienced issues around the affordability of sanitary products. The survey also found that over 61% of people are embarrassed by their period, and 59% felt that lessons on their period at school were unhelpful. Some respondents even reported having never received any lessons on their period at all.

The charity Bloody Good Period estimates that the average lifetime cost of having a period is about £4,800.

People with heavier flows and people with medical conditions, including endometriosis, spend more on sanitary products and medications to help with pain or reducing their flow. Regardless of what the average cost of having a period is, the reality is that even a few euros per month is actually unaffordable for those already living in poverty, who struggle to afford other necessities such as their food or rent.

Charities and initiatives like Plan International Ireland and Homeless Period Ireland aim to alleviate the struggle of those living with period poverty and end taboos surrounding menstruation. The Homeless Period Ireland brings sanitary wear to those who otherwise can’t afford it or have to forgo it to feed their families. It also brings to the fore the argument that sanitary wear is a monthly necessity for a large proportion of the population and perhaps the cost is an unfair tax on a natural bodily cycle. The initiative was set up in December 2016, originally confined to Dublin, after seeing the volume of homeless people in Dublin and their lack of access to adequate sanitation.

In 2017, Claire Hunt took over the day to day running of the Homeless Period Dublin and soon realised there was a nationwide need for this initiative. The decision so was made to change the name to Homeless Period Ireland and lead to an increase in drop-off points and services throughout the country. Hunt says that the HPI is an initiative, not a charity, and that it is completely reliant on volunteers for distribution and collection of sanitary products. The donations are brought by volunteer drivers to Homeless Outreach Centres, Direct Provision Centres and Women’s Refuges.

In November 2018, the UCD Mature Students Society organised a period product drive on campus in aid of Homeless Period Ireland. The society’s committee is lead entirely by women, and auditor Carla Gummerson says that “it was something we could all identify with.” The drive made €400 in monetary donations, a portion of which was

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made €400 in monetary donations, a portion of which was spent on sanitary products and Homeless Period Ireland t-shirts, enabling the society to raise more awareness of the initiative throughout campus. Hundreds of sanitary products were donated. Gummerson says that she “couldn’t

“The charity Bloody Good Period estimates that the average lifetime cost of having a period is about £4,800” really put a number on [the amount of donations].”

UCD is also a year-round drop off point for Homeless Period Ireland, with purple boxes dotted around the campus for students and staff to deposit donations. Other drop-off points include the popular city centre nail bar, Tropical Popical, as well as several pharmacies and Students’ Unions throughout the country. HPI don’t accept money - only products. They suggest that whenever we buy

Credit: The Homeless Period

period products for ourselves, we pick up a second pack for someone who can’t afford it.

Homeless Period Ireland also aim to reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation and educate people on the hygiene needs and financial barriers of people who menstruate. “But it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Hunt says, adding that those involved with the initiative are eager to see the Irish government take similar actions to that of a scheme introduced by the Scottish Government in 2017.

Scotland recently became the first country in the world to give free sanitary products to women on low incomes. As part of a pilot project in Aberdeen, at least 1,000 women and girls from low-income homes benefited from the Scottish Government scheme which had funding of £42,500. In September 2018, Dublin City Council announced its plan to provide free sanitary products in its buildings such as community centres, swimming pools and libraries. The plan was put forward by Labour Councillor Rebecca Moynihan. Councillor Moynihan also expressed support for replicating the actions of the Scottish Government in tackling period poverty. She said “while providing free sanitary products in Dublin City Council’s buildings is a really progressive step, I hope that the Government will follow Scotland’s lead and take action in the upcoming

“The survey also found that over 61% of people are embarrassed by their period, and 59% felt that lessons on their period at school were unhelpful.” budget to provide free sanitary products in all schools and colleges.”

Period cups have become an increasingly popular and more affordable option for people struggling with period poverty. The cups are available from various different brands including Lunette cup and Mooncup. They are reusable for up to ten years and therefore, more environmentally friendly, but they are not cheap. Mooncups, for example, are €32 to buy. However, long-term the cups do offer better value. Some activists say that period products should be entirely free and that the cost is an unfair tax on a natural bodily cycle.

FEATURES

The life of an NGO

In conversation with Tom O’ Connor, Senior Programme Officer with Aidlink, Doireann de Courcy Mac Donnell discusses the trials and triumphs of a small NGO in Dublin.

From a small premises in Harold’s Cross, richly decorated with African sculptures and paintings, the operations of the charity Aidlink are managed. Founded in Dublin in 1982, Aidlink “exists to improve the lives of those living in poverty in Africa”. Currently working with partnerships in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, Aidlink aims to improve the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities.

As an NGO (a non-governmental organization), Aidlink focuses on improving educational environments, community health, agriculture and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). According to their 2017 annual report, Aidlink succeed in bringing cleaner, safer water to 15,000 people, providing “child-friendly” primary education to 8,500 children and training 677 farming families on how to protect their households’ food security.

Due to the drought in Kenya, many children suffer from malnutrition and Aidlink was involved in bringing emergency food supplies to over 5000 children. Their ultimate goal is to help people, especially women and girls, to “achieve healthy and fulfilling lives.”

Winner of the Carmichael Centre Good Governance Award and the small/medium not-for-profit category in the Chartered Accountants Ireland Published Accounts Awards for the last two consecutive years, Aidlink is certainly “small but mighty”. I met with Tom O’ Connor to chat about his work with Aidlink and what led him to becoming Senior Programme Officer in a small Dublin based NGO. What inspired you to become involved in charity work?

I suppose I’m someone who has always been interested.

I come from a family that’s very committed to trying to make a better world; that cliché. For me it’s about justice, human rights and equality and really about trying to make sure everyone has the same opportunities in life, the same chance. I studied languages; French and Italian, so I was international in my outlook I guess, though I don’t actually use either language in day-to-day work, and after working in Paris for a couple of years I came to Ireland and did a Masters in Trinity in Peace Studies. From there I interned with Aidlink to try and get some experience while I was studying. Somebody left and the same time my internship was finishing and five, nearly six years later here I am.

What is your role as Senior Programme Officer for Aidlink?

We’re a very small team, only three of us. I’m basically in charge of the overseas programme and the day-today management. With only three of us, I’m not directly involved; I’m not drilling wells, I’m not teaching kids things, I’m not leading training. It’s more of a project management or coordination role. I work closely with our partner organisations in Kenya and Uganda. I check-in on trainings and how things are going, try to analyse the results; what’s the impact of our work, what things have worked well, what hasn’t worked, where can we make improvements. A big part of my job would be monitoring and evaluation, going out to visit communities where we work, asking questions and trying to ascertain what change has happened as a result of our work. The other part [of my job] is fundraising. Part of my role is to try and get funding from trusts and foundations; to write proposals to foundations asking can you support Aidlink, can you support our work, can you support our partners?

What is happening right now in your office?

The big thing we’re doing at the minute, our main programme of work, is trying to get girls in nomadic pastoralist communities in Kenya into school. Our efforts are focused on public primary schools. It’s about increasing enrolment, it’s about improving performance, retention and then supporting their transition to secondary school.

The communities where we work, the nomadic pastoralist communities in Northern Kenya in Turkana and in Kijabe with the Maasai, are communities that are marginalised and left behind. The literacy rate in Turkana is about 25%30%, whereas in the rest of Kenya it’s about 70%. It shows the disparity. It’s also a patriarchal society so women don’t have any of the same opportunities. Even though education is low, for girls it is almost non-existent. Our main objective is to ensure all children have the opportunity to go to school, particularly girls. Through that we’re aiming to tackle things like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriage. The evidence is that when girls stay in school they have greater opportunities in life and they are more likely to ensure that their own children go to school, or that their children aren’t cut for example. It’s a long-term objective; in the short-term every child goes to school and then in the long-term we can tackle some of those bigger issues in society.

In Aidlink we see ourselves as having a dual role, that would be the main programme; targeting communities, but as such a small organisation, and one that works with partners, we are not doing it ourselves. Our other real aim is to build local capacity, either supporting local partners, local NGOs, like the Girl Child Network in Kenya or Caritas MADDO in Uganda for example, supporting them to be really strong, effective organisations that can have a real positive impact, or supporting communities themselves so that they have got the skills and knowledge to make change because I can’t really make an impact in those communities – it has to come from within. That’s the real focus of our work; to build local capacity, to reduce dependence on us in the long-term. We have been very successful in that. Over the fifteen years we’ve worked with the Girl Child Network, they’ve grown from a really small organisation to a national network for over 300 members, helping the Kenyan government to draft legislation policy, to go out and lobby for sanitary towels to be provided in every school in Kenya. We can take some responsibility for supporting them too, to reach that standard.

Comparatively, what is happening right now in Kenya?

Kenya in particular at the moment is booming. It really is a rapidly developing country. You can go to Nairobi and walk around the streets and it’s just like being in Dublin.

There are trendy coffee shops everywhere, everyone is really cool and has an iPhone glued to their ear. In many ways it is similar to the rest of the world, but it is probably more pronounced in Kenya. Places like Turkana have really been left behind from that development. Inequality has grown massively. I mean the Oxfam report just out tells us that the world’s 26 richest people own as much of the world’s wealth as the poorest 50%! You can really see that somewhere like Turkana, which is basically a desert where no-one can read or write and 90% of the population live on less than $1.75 a day. When you compare the really cool bits of Nairobi to the people in Turkana walking ten, fifteen kilometres every day to get water you can see that inequality in action. The other thing you can really see in a place like Turkana is climate change brought to life.

There was a significant drought in 2017 and January 2018 was the first time it rained in three years; they’ve less than a minute’s rain in the whole county in three years. There were half a million people in need of food, rations, it wasn’t quite a famine but malnutrition rates were up to 40% in children under five. For me, that’s where you can really see inequality.

What is the most difficult issue you face as a small NGO in Dublin?

It’s always got to be fundraising. We need money to do our work, we need money to support our partners, we need money to do programmes that we know work; we have

evidence that it has a really positive impact on the lives of people we aim to work with. I suppose when you’re as small as Aidlink and writing a proposal you’re going up against Concern and Trocaire, or in the UK, Save the Children and Oxfam. What we have seen in the last five, six years is that donors like Irish Aid or the government and the big foundations like Bill and Melinda Gates, more and more of their funding is going to the biggest organisations because they have the capacity to almost be service providers.

When you’re small like Aidlink, and when you’re working with partners, we want to be supporting what our partners know work, what communities know work and what we know works.

In terms of the general public, one of the issues is branding. We’re not as big as Concern or Trocaire. We’re never going to have that name recognition. One way we try to counter that is by linking communities here in Ireland to communities in Africa. That is what “Aidlink

“Of course we are concerned about the homelessness crisis here in Ireland but we are also concerned about what is happening overseas. We are part of the same fight, if you will, to resolve both.” for Turkana” was about; a charity concert we held in the National Concert Hall in December. It said here are people in Ireland that have an interest, or people in choirs that have an interest in performing and can we link you with our work overseas and really create that direct connection.

It’s also what our secondary school immersion programme is about as well, giving students the chance to spend two weeks in our partner schools and communities in Africa.

There is also a domestic charity agenda. Clearly the homelessness crisis is a massive problem in Ireland and we’re kind of competing with that narrative as well for the public’s attention. I think what you’ll probably find is that anyone who works for an international organisation is also concerned about issues in Ireland. We just don’t necessarily see those challenges around social issues as having borders. Of course we are concerned about the homelessness crisis here in Ireland but we are also concerned about what is happening overseas. We are part of the same fight, if you will, to resolve both.

What constitutes a good day’s work for you? Do you ever truly switch off?

I think it is important to rest. I will go home and watch Netflix or I play rugby, but you’re always kind of switched on in terms of watching the news and keeping focused.

Like the terrorist attack in Kenya last week, our immediate thoughts turned to our partners. Really they are more than partners, they’re friends. You can be out with your friends and the conversation maybe turns to politics, you put forward your view point. I’m also doing the Connemara marathon, so I’m trying to fundraise for that. I think what we have here at Aidlink is quite special. It’s my first job in a charity, but I have had other jobs before, and we really are kind of a tight family. When you’re so small you have to support one another in your job. You pitch in and help, you’re never side-lined off. It’s a great place to work, I really enjoy it.

Individual stories stick with you. I always talk about a woman I met in Uganda called Rosemary, the first time I went overseas. She grew up in one of the communities where we were doing a programme. The programme focused on constructing and drilling a well, so that the community would have access to clean water. We worked in the schools, we built a latrine block, we trained people to look after the water and sanitation. She was one of the community members trained and I remember sitting in her home. She was so proud of her house, comparing it to what it was before. She had constructed a latrine, she had a dish rack. She built a little out-building, a shelter for shade, from where she was a community health worker. People would come to her and she would treat them with very basic remedies, essentially paracetamol, or recognising something more she could send them on to the health officials. I was sitting in her out-house listening to her and the impact the work had on her and her life. I thought ‘wow, in doing this we really have helped this women as an individual and on her family as well.’ Her children were going to complete school and one wanted to be a nurse, one a doctor and one a teacher. It’s when you hear those individual stories of change you feel it was all worth it, all those days of writing proposals; which can be really boring at times, but you are making a positive impact on people’s lives.

A hostage situation in Nairobi, Kenya recently made international headlines. Aidlink declared all their partners to be safe on Facebook. Having worked in countries with turbulent political situations, has Aidlink ever been caught up in terrorist or threatening situations?

We are sheltered from it in some ways. We are based in Dublin for 90% of the year. For our partners who are on the ground, implanting the programmes on the front line we do take health and safety very seriously. In Turkana, in particular, all the neighbours fight with one another. It all surrounds cattle rustling; the more cattle you have the wealthier you are. It’s like that in Turkana, but also the rest of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan as well.

The Pokot, a Kenyan tribe in the South of Turkana, are always fighting. There are periods of relative peace but then someone will attack and steal all the cows and women and it is insecure again. In that circumstance our partners will withdraw from the area or they certainly will suspend programmes until they consider it is safe again.

If UCD students want to get involved, how can they best do this?

Women on Wednesdays takes place in Whelan’s and is a fantastic idea. It is a platform for female musicians and artists and poets to perform. We realised that there was no real platform for female artists in Ireland and this is a night for artists, poets and musicians to play. We thought it was a great way to link women and girls overseas with the growing feminist movement here in Ireland. It has been running for about a year and we would love to start it up again. It is currently on-hold for the moment as we try to organise acts so if any student wanted to get involved they can feel free to contact us.

Walk for Water is a second way students can get involved. A lot of secondary schools, maybe twenty around Ireland, are involved. Some of the girls in communities where we work are walking ten, fifteen kilometres to collect water each day and we look at how that affects their daily lives and access to education. World Water Month takes place around March. Rather than a fundraising event, it is a walk of solidarity.

You can follow Aidlink on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and see the work they do.

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FEATURES Could Tibetan Buddhism face the Last Lama?

Brian Burke investigates the Dalai Lama’s concession that he may be the last to hold the position and the current situation in Tibet. and his family were arrested by the Chinese government and have not been heard from since. Chinese officials claim the boy is alive and healthy and simply does not wish to be disturbed, but many Tibetans continue to demand to know where he is. 6 months later, China announced that it had found the real Panchen Lama, a boy named Gyaltsen Norbu who was the son of two communist party members.

He is referred to by some Tibetans as the “Panchen Zuma” meaning false Panchen.

China claims Tibet has been part of the Chinese nation since the mid-13th century. Many from Tibet disagree with this, as Chinese rule over Tibet has not been constant.

From 1920 until 1950, Tibet functioned as an independent nation, despite not being recognised as such by the Chinese government. In 1950, Chinese troops were sent in to occupy Tibet and the following year a delegation was signed ceding sovereignty of Tibet to China. The Dalai Lama was called upon to assume full political power within Tibet. After an unsuccessful Tibetan uprising in 1959, he was then forced to flee to Dharmsala in Northern India.

This has caused resentment amongst many Tibetans and Chinese rule has been sporadically challenged over the years. “What’s not understood here [in Ireland] is that the Dalai Lama is both a spiritual and a political leader in Tibet…that’s where the situation gets a lot more difficult” said one practising Tibetan buddhist in UCD. “The current Dalai Lama claims to want autonomy for the region rather than complete independence from China. However this does not stop the Chinese from viewing him as a threat to their rule, and they have even referred to him as a ‘wolf in monks robes’.”Fearful that the Chinese will use their Panchen Lama to elect a Pro Chinese successor, the Dalai Lama has said that if he does reincarnate he will do so in a

Living in exile in India, one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism concedes he may be the last to hold the position of the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is considered both a spiritual and political leader of Tibetan Buddhists.

When a Dalai Lama dies his successor is not chosen but instead his reincarnated form is found. This usually takes between two to three years, but after the death of the 13th Dalai Lama it took four years to find the spiritual reincarnation. A child by the name of Lhamo Dhondup was declared to be the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

The Panchen Lama is the second highest authority in Tibetan Buddhism, and is selected by the Dalai Lama

himself. When the Dalai Lama dies it is the responsibility of the Panchen Lama to find the next Dalai Lama. When a candidate has been found by the Panchen Lama, he undergoes a series of secretive tests before being confirmed as the next official Dalai Lama. One of these tests involves presenting the possible Dalai Lama with a serious of items, some of which were possessions of the previous Dalai Lama. If he manages to pick out the possessions it is seen as an indication that he is the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation.

In 1955, the current Dalai Lama selected a 6 year old boy by the name of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima to be the 11th Panchen Lama. A mere 2 days after being selected the boy

“What’s not understood here [in Ireland] is that the Dalai Lama is both a spiritual and a political leader in Tibet… that’s where the situation gets a lot more difficult”

country outside of Chinese control or perhaps not choose to reincarnate at all meaning he may be the last “legitimate” Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama claims that it would be better for the old tradition of his reincarnation to end rather than allow a false Dalai Lama to sully the tradition. “There is

“If China choses to nominate a successor to the current Dalai Lama, and their nomination is rejected by the people of Tibet, this could greatly exacerbate the already tense situation.” no guarantee that some stupid Dalai Lama won’t come next, who will disgrace himself or herself,” he said. Many practising Tibetan Buddhists have wondered if they should be allowed to elect religious leaders for themselves democratically and have divested the political power of his rule to an elected official who is also with the Dalai Lama in India. The Chinese government however do not believe that it is within his power to do away with this tradition and claim that only the central government can decide on keeping, or getting rid of, the Dalai Lama’s lineage.

If China choses to nominate a successor to the current Dalai Lama, and their nomination is rejected by the people of Tibet, this could greatly exacerbate the already tense situation. Over 150 people have chosen to set themselves on fire, or self-immolate, in Tibet as a form of protest against the Chinese government. The goal of these protests is to bring attention to what they view as harsh and unjust Chinese rule and the oppression of Tibetan Buddhist culture, as well as to appeal to both the return of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama to Tibet. Many of the protesters who survive the initial self-immolation are often detained

by Chinese officials who view it as a disturbing the peace and creating an atmosphere of terror.

The Dalai Lama has maintained a neutral stance on the self-immolations as he fears that if he supports them the Chinese will blame him for the acts but to condemn them would be offensive to the families of the protesters stating “If I say something negative, then the family members of those people feel very sad. They sacrificed their life. It is not easy. So I do not want to create some kind of impression that this is wrong” in The Hindu newspaper. However, he has also stated that he thinks the self-immolations are occurring as a direct result of Chinese policy. While the Chinese claim that he is inciting the protests, and he has expressed his deep sorrow at the deaths and injuries of the protesters, he has not called for these protests to stop.

The Work-Work balance of nursing students Andrea Andres asks four nursing students about their work placements and how it affects their college life.

College can feel like a balancing act. In between lectures, assignments, society events, meetings and nights out, it can be difficult to strike a balance between college education and a life outside it. But it is a different story for student nurses.

According to the An Bord Altranais, the body regulating the requirements and standards of nursing courses, nursing students are expected to complete 4,600 hours of theoretical and clinical instruction combined. This is further broken down to 1,533 hours of theory and 2,300 hours of clinical placement. Placements can last from 14 weeks for general nursing, to 15 weeks for children’s nursing, with shifts as long as 13 hours a day. Placements can start as early as 7:30 am in the morning and can end at 7:30 pm or after 8:00pm at night. Student nurses find themselves having to balance their education against their work experience.

All student nurses interviewed felt that the ratio between theory and practice is good. It places a strong emphasis on the practical side of nursing. Placements allow the student “to know what to do in real life situations.

And to be competent to do it.,” Soham, a general nursing student explains. “The theory classes only reinforce and give reason to your actions. They tell you the reasoning behind what you do . . . The theory tells you why you have to nurse a patient with a certain condition in certain ways.

And what might be harmful for the patient.”

Ciara, also a general nursing student in DCU reveals that “the more time you spend on wards and in the hospital, the better it is for your professional development and confidence.” However, the way the placement and classes are done, at least in UCD could be different. “In UCD, it’s one semester [of] lectures (4 weeks of lectures for Children and General only) and the next is the 15 weeks of placement for everyone,” says a student children’s nurse who wished to remain anonymous. She and the friends she consulted would like the college work and the placements “more to be like Trinity where it’s more divided and less clumped . . . it’s roughly one month placement, one month lectures and continuously rotated like that.”

Another children’s nursing student (who currently has lectures and has to sit exams this summer) found that work experience definitely affects studying for exams.

Many feel that the current system of student placements does not take into account those who work and those who travel long distances. “You’re so tired by the end of a day of placement,” she says. “It’s not only the work that tires us, most placement areas are hard enough to get to and require at least two hours on public transport (or driving) daily.”

Not only do long hours and long commutes affect study, but emotional exhaustion has an impact: “all day you have to be this neutral person who always stays strong for patients . . . at work the people whom you care for are top priority on your list even before you.” She adds that study time is eaten away by obligations outside the course such as volunteering or part-time jobs. Soham thinks that “the long

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hours also don’t account for the people commuting from long distances.” Ciara feels that “placement in general is very hard for students who work. I work four to six nights a week depending on our rota and during placement I go straight from the hospital to work during the week and

“all day you have to be this neutral person who always stays strong for patients. . . at work the people whom you care for are top priority on your list even before you.” work until 11pm or 12am at the weekends.”

Some nursing students felt that they are missing out on the “college experience” and getting involved in its societies and sports. The children’s nursing student acknowledges that they “have trouble joining clubs and societies, I can’t fully commit to college life because of

placement always taking up half the year.” She explains further that “there’s too much placement and not enough college. The hours are too long in placement especially in first year where you have to dive into placement.” Ciara hasn’t joined any societies on campus citing that “their meeting(s) and activities clash with [her] college and work timetables.” She also felt that her “social life has been impacted greatly,” and “long hospital hours” play a factor.

With how hectic nursing courses can get with this precarious balancing act, student nurses draw support from each other and sometimes from academic staff on campus. The children’s nursing student found that they’re “quite lucky with my academic staff, they really want me to succeed and are always there if you need to talk to them, they’ll take time out of their schedule to really help you to their best of their ability.” Soham echoes her sentiments: “The CPC (Clinical Placement Coordinator) and personal tutor and student advisor are at your fingertips if an unfortunate event occurs.” Marie shares that they “are well supported by our tutors and lecturers as well as well as our on site clinical facilitators.”

UCDSU sabbatical officers expressed their supports the INMO campaign to stand with student nurses and midwives. In a press statement, Welfare Officer Melissa Plunkett stated: “As a student midwife I have seen the reality of hospitals both general and maternity being short

staffed due to retention and recruitment. I have watched friends and family move abroad after graduating because the wage here in Ireland is not realistic. If you are a UCD nursing / midwifery student, undergraduate or postgraduate get in touch with your hospitals strike committee.”

Most interviewees also expressed that their classmates are a great source of support. Marie believes that nursing and midwifery students should support each other, “after all they are all working towards the same goals” and that “[they] lift each other up and support each other if [they] feel that [their] classmates are in fact struggling with balancing the theory and work experience.” However, for Ciara, there isn’t enough support apart from student nurses: “I feel that the only people to talk to about the struggle in balance is other student nurses because they understand. Outside of my peer group I don’t think there is really anyone who can help me maintain a balance in my life as a nursing student.” The children’s nursing student felt that her strongest support were her classmates because they’re “all pretty much going through the same thing, [they] understand the same language and [they] get when someone needs to talk to or simply needs a long hug.” In other words: “we’re family . . . there is love and support.”

If you too Stand with Nurse and Midwives please sign the StandWithUS petition at https://sign.standwithus.ie/sign.

SCIENCE Less “Breaking the Law” and more “Bending the Rule” James Donaghey investigates when and why Moore’s Law is likely to end.

In 1965, Gordon Moore was asked to give a prediction of the next 10 years for the semiconductor industry. In an article published in Electronics magazine, Moore speculated that the number of circuit components in a dense integrated circuit would continue to double every year (this was revised by Moore in 1975 to approximately two years). This became known as Moore’s Law, something of a self-fulfilling prophecy at the centre of the technological revolution since the latter half of the twentieth century.

There are many assumptions and much confusion surrounding Moore’s Law, and it has inspired more observations of the future in technology. Dennard scaling represents performance against power, and this approximately correlates with Moore’s Law. Other factors associated with circuit components (size, cost and speed for instance) were later linked to Moore’s Law or given their own ‘laws’. Moore’s Law is a misnomer too; it isn’t a physical law, but more so an observation which has proven true since its conception.

While there are discrepancies regarding Moore’s Law, it is widely accepted that it can only remain valid for a finite time. In recent years, there have been many predictions of when Moore’s will become irrelevant. One of the most vocal on the subject is Gordon Moore himself, who has reevaluated his estimate several times over the last twenty years. His most recent prediction places the demise of his Law between 2020 and 2025. This is especially significant because in the last decade, many scientists have also placed the end of Moore’s Law in the same approximate timeframe. The most generous, but definitive estimation of the Law’s lifespan is from a report co-authored by Glenn Starkman of CERN, which found that it can only exist in a technologically advanced society for 600 years at the most.

The end of Moore’s Law is significant in more ways than one. It marks a huge milestone toward artificial superintelligence, the creation of which is believed to kickstart ‘the singularity’, causing growth at a level which is incomprehensible to us at present. Basically put, when technology and computers reach an operating power beyond that which the human brain is capable of, there will be a rapid acceleration, an explosion of technology and intelligence. The significance of Moore’s Law here is that it marks a path toward this singularity, paving the way from electromechanical computers over 100 years ago to the nanoscale operations today and beyond.

The indicators that Moore’s Law is slowing grows as time progresses. The estimate of Dennard scaling has already ceased being relevant since 2007. The physical capabilities of the circuit are also a determining factor; as the size of the circuit moves to a scale beyond which the flow of current would be impossible to maintain. A transistor was developed in MIT last year which can carry a single atom across 10 nanometres. 3D transistors are

in production which increases the computing capacity of the transistor. Of course, there are ways around this, so it doesn’t have to spell the end of Moore’s Law, but this is merely postponing the inevitable.

Intel, of which Moore is a co-founder, has always taken pride in its ability to maintain Moore’s Law, but even they are aware of the difficulty it has become to maintain the exponential nature of the law. The output has slowed from every two years to two and a half years, and the architecture is not shrinking at the dramatic rate at which it once had.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Until relatively recently, it was unthinkable to consider the once large-scale operations that companies, such as Intel, now perform on a miniscule scale. The progress with this technology may be slowing, but this is entirely understandable given the focus

on it over the last century. This is an opportunity to adopt a different approach, a different outlook for moving forward.

Modern computing had reached a point where complacency became rife, and the industry became focused on selling updated shrinking iterations of existing technology. The best example of this is in smartphone technology, where smaller eventually stopped meaning better. The architecture then changed, with attention turning to new features such as curved screens, voice control and near field communication. We can expect this same shift in focus when Moore’s Law reaches its peak, where investments in downsizing will stop and instead research will grow in other areas.

One of the biggest disadvantages of this exponential growth is the obsolescence that accompanies it. While

the aim of the development is to lower the cost of the technology by making it more accessible, it has become costly to constantly remain up to date with the most current technology. If the technology at the current size does become widespread due to delayed obsolescence, it would give the general public a chance to catch up with the most current iterations.

While the end of Moore’s Law looms closer, even if we don’t know exactly when, we can acknowledge the achievements and advances it has brought to our lives. It is older than the first mobile phone, the Internet, and many products of the technological revolution which it played a part in conceiving. The exponential nature of Moore’s Law correlates with the exponential nature of technology, and it is an exciting future that Moore helped shape.

The lonely beekeeper: How the decline of insects affects the eco-system Where have all the bugs gone? Sean Mooney investigates.

Joe Bonfield re-entered his homely kitchen, honey in hand, just as the kettle boiled. I was meeting Bonfield, a graduate of UCD, at his home in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. He completed a BSc in Physics with

“The decline of insects doesn’t pack the same emotional punch as the decline of pandas. But they represent a vital cog in the ecosystem” Astronomy & Space Science and an MSc in Space Science & Technology. In his spare time, he is a beekeeper.

I closely examined the deep yellow honey he had just harvested from his hive while quizzing him about the practicalities of caring for bees. The conversation quickly turned to the reasons behind the declining bee populations in Ireland. “Honey bees are at a loss because of the varroa mite. The parasite carries diseases like the deformed wing virus and that can lead to colony collapse disorder,” he said. “But the warmer winter last year caused havoc, because the bees were active and using energy when they should’ve been idle in the hive.”

Bonfield said, “there are definitely less bees around; even bumblebees are getting scarce.” The problem of declining bee populations is not unique Ireland. The rustypatched bumblebee, native to North America, declined by 87% in the last 20 years. Nor is the problem unique to bees.

Brad Lister and Andres Garcia published a study last October, the results of which were labeled as “hyperalarming” by an expert in invertebrate conservation. Lister had visited a rainforest in Puerto Rico in 1976 and, after returning 35 years later, he was surprised to see a dramatic decline in insect populations.

“One of the things I noticed in the forest was a lack of butterflies. They used to be all along the roadside, especially after the rain stopped, hundreds upon hundreds of them. But we couldn’t see one butterfly,” Lister said,

speaking to the Guardian. The data confirmed his intuition: in three and a half decades, 98% of ground insects and 80% of insects in the tree canopy had disappeared. Lister and Garcia also discovered that insect numbers in a forest in Mexico dropped by 80% since the 1980s. In Germany, 7,000 km away, the number of flying insects has dropped by 75% in 25 years. In yet another study, scientists found the population of monarch butterflies in the United States has plummeted by 90% in 20 years.

Insects play a key role in the food chain and a part the decimation of insect populations. Lister saw a contemporaneous decline in birds and frogs that feed on insects by 50–65%. In an Australian eucalyptus forest, severe heat eradicated the insect population and, consequently, nearly all birds. Aside from being a food source, insects are also critical for pollination, breaking down matter, and aerating the soil. Such is the vital role insects play in the ecosystem, their disappearance has been described as “ecological armageddon” in many headlines around the globe.

The issue of population decline extends well beyond insects. Prof. Ron Milo published a study in 2018 which found that whether it be for development, farming, or logging, habitat destruction, humans are at fault for the loss of 50% of plants and 83% of wild animals. Combined with modern farming practices, this has lead to a strange situation, where now 60% of all mammals on Earth are livestock. Humans make up 36%, and wild animals are just 4%. Similarly, farmed poultry make up 70% of all birds on the planet. “When I do a puzzle with my daughters,” said Milo, “there is usually an elephant next to a giraffe next to a rhino. A more realistic sense of the world, it would be a cow next to a cow next to a cow and then a chicken.”

In areas across the world, pesticides and habitat destruction are also the root cause of the insect collapse, but the Puerto Rican forest that Lister visited is a protected area. Lister concludes that the collapse of the rainforest ecosystem is being driven by climate change. Scientists had predicted that because tropical insects evolved in an exceptionally stable climate, they would be more susceptible to climate change. In the past 30 years, average temperatures in the forest have risen 2.0°C, and there has been more extreme heat. In recent years, 44% of days exceeded 29°C, whereas in the 1970s, no days exceeded this temperature.

There are practical steps that can be taken to stem this

decline. Many scientists have called for the preservation and restoration of forests and wetlands. Agricultural practices that stimulate biodiversity, such as planting wildflowers around monocrops, and a more prudent use of pesticides would be beneficial too.

Globally, little is known about the scale of situation.

Lister’s study is only a glimpse into the issue, and he fears that the impact of climate change on tropical ecosystems is far greater than currently estimated. More research in a variety of different habitats is required, but that is only half the problem, as there are just a handful of studies that have tracked insect numbers in the past. This makes it

challenging to establish the long-term trends.

Insect numbers are difficult to track and the feeling that their numbers are declining in many places is just that – a feeling. There seems to be less insects under rocks, in gardens, or on windscreens than there used to be. For many, this may be as tangible as the plummeting insect population feels and people would be forgiven for failing to see the downside of the situation. The decline of insects doesn’t pack the same emotional punch as the decline of pandas. But they represent a vital cog in the ecosystem and, according to Prof. Dave Goulson, “if we lose the insects, then everything is going to collapse.”

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SCIENCE

Autonomous robotic surgery: The new frontier

Lillian Loescher explores the world of medical robots, and takes a look at its latest advancement – autonomous robotic surgery.

If you were suffering from a major health issue that required surgery, would you trust the warm careful hands of a skilled surgeon in their prime or the cold and lifeless appendages of a thoroughly tested robot? A great deal of evidence continues to mount that suggests trusting the robot will yield a much better outcome.

Advancements in technology have allowed for the use of robotic assistance during surgeries for the past three decades with a plethora of positive results. Consider neurosurgery, which requires an immense level of dexterity, precision and concentration from the surgeon. When it comes to removing parts of the brain there are no second chances and the slightest slip-up could cause serious damage. Imagine finding a trusted surgeon who does their best to manually remove a malignant glioma (tumour) from your brain, only to have some neighbouring part of your brain impacted during the surgery, and its function altered irreversibly. Now, post-surgery, you experience balance and coordination problems. But this is a fair trade for getting rid of the cancer, right?

Most would agree that spending the rest of your life with two left feet is preferable to having a cancer spread

throughout your body. Due to the inclusion of robots (ZEUS, da Vinci and most recently STAR) in the surgical room, complications such as these have greatly decreased in the last 30 years and will likely continue to decrease as time goes on.

Robotic assisted surgery has been responsible

“Not only was STAR faster than a human surgeon at stitching, but it was proven to be many orders of magnitude more precise than a human surgeon.”

for decreasing mortality rates, increasing precision, decreasing incision sizes and minimizing patient discomfort for many types of surgery, including, but not limited to; otolaryngologic (head and neck), neurosurgery,

cardiothoracic, gastric, and orthopaedic. With the amount of research being dedicated to such advancements, the types and complexity of surgery that a robot can perform will continue to increase. However, these benefits don’t come without a hefty cost.

The amount of money needed to buy and maintain such robotic systems remains high. At the moment, that cost can be offset by having the robot help perform a certain number of procedures in a given period of time.

This number is determined by the size of the hospital, the type of robotic system used, and type of surgery performed.

Studies have shown that despite their high initial costs, these systems can result in savings for hospitals due to lower complication rates and better removal of diseased tissue.

Aside from the financial burden that may be imposed on a hospital to obtain and maintain these systems, many of the problems that were encountered in the past with robotic assisted surgeries have been addressed and continue to improve. Perhaps the most notable of these is the problem of haptic feedback, which refers to the sense of resistance one gets from holding or moving an object. This sense

is dulled when using robotic surgery, which in the past has led surgeons to rely on visual cues in order to avoid breaking sutures and other structures. To get around this, scientists have developed surgical robots which sense the resistance of such things, and can transfer this sensation to the surgeon. These machines are able to provide this sensation without any degradation in the strength or accuracy of the robot, truly making its limbs an extension of the surgeon’s.

With robot assisted surgeries out performing non-robot assisted surgeries, it should not come as a surprise that scientists have been looking into the possibility of creating autonomous robots that are capable of performing surgery on their own. So-called “autonomous robotic surgery” is one of the most current advancements in this line of

“Advancements in technology have allowed for the use of robotic assistance during surgeries for the past three decades with a plethora of positive results.” research. One such robot, the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR), uses an array of small lenses that work like an insect’s eye. Each lens sees the patient’s tissue from a slightly different angle. Computer algorithms reconstruct those images into a single 3-D image which is displayed to the surgeon in real time. STAR has also demonstrated an ability to adapt to changing conditions or random movements during its initial animal testing. This kind of flexibility is essential for human surgery.

Not only was STAR faster than a human surgeon at stitching, but it was proven to be many orders of magnitude more precise than a human surgeon. This robot can literally “see” and adapt to what is on the operating table, and it can outscore surgeons with seven years training on stitch location and stitch tension. Stitching may not seem like the most high-stake aspect of surgery, but poorly placed stitches are responsible for countless infections and complications every year, including poorer wound healing.

STAR has not been fully tested on humans, and it is not meant to replace surgeons. So far, it exists to complement the surgeon’s skills in the operating room.

As the capabilities of artificially intelligent technologies increase, approaching what is described as a “technological singularity”, the impact on human civilization will be enormous and unpredictable. When talking about artificially intelligent autonomous robotic surgery we must also consider the larger impacts on health care regulation, as well as the ethical implications. This will be no easy feat and at this point is a source of extensive debate among anthropologists, sociologists, historians, scientists and philosophers.

BMI is not black and white Though a key measure of health risk since the 1970s, Aela O’Flynn asks if BMI is misleading medicine.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is described by the World Health Organisation as “the most commonly used tool to correlate risk of health problems with the weight at population level”.

In spite of this powerful statement, emerging research indicates that BMI does little but scratch the surface in assessing an individual’s risk of disease.

BMI is a useful indicator for quick analysis of adult nutritional status. It’s very easy to measure, only using weight in kilograms divided by the height in metres squared. The normal range is between 18.5 and 24.9 and until recently those in this range were considered to be “healthy”. Health, however, has revealed itself to be much more complicated.

If you are in the normal range for BMI, you are considered to be an ‘ideal’ weight for your height. Other factors, such as body composition, are completely disregarded. This means that BMI is all but irrelevant for anyone with a high muscle mass, for instance. This is a major issue when assessing athletes. For example, Irish

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rugby international Cian Healy’s BMI of 32.7 (2017) would have him classified as obese.

It follows that a high BMI does not necessarily indicate

“a high BMI does not necessarily indicate poor health” poor health. Research indicates that the converse is also true. A recent study published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that people with a normal BMI who led sedentary lifestyles had a comparable risk of cardiovascular disease to those who were ‘overweight’. Another study in the International Journal of Obesity found that 30% of normal weight individuals were considered “cardiometabolically unhealthy”, or at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, while nearly half of overweight and 29% of obese

individuals were at low risk.

Cardiovascular disease is a broad term for any disease of the heart or circulation. According to the Irish Heart Foundation, it is the most common cause of death and disease in Ireland. This research is of particular interest to the medical community as it could open the door to lifestyle medicine as the first-line in medical intervention for a whole range of diseases, not least cardiovascular disease.

Doctors all over the world use BMI as their primary method to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Though useful for both doctor and patient as a preliminary guideline, BMI must be used in conjunction with other tests in order to provide an accurate picture of an individual’s health. The CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) in the US published a report for health practitioners in 2009 to highlight the limitations of BMI. BMI is described in this report as a “surrogate measure of body fat” because it actually measures excess weight, which may not necessarily be fat.

There are a number of other measures that can be used to improve the diagnostic usefulness of BMI in various categories. To measure body fat, the easiest methods are waist circumference, which measures fat distribution using a tape measure, and skinfold thickness, which uses a callipers to gently pinch the skin to measure excess skin and fat on the body. To measure metabolic health, it is important to examine blood pressure, the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose in the blood, and insulin resistance. This revelation about the relationship between BMI, exercise, and cardiovascular disease could have a major impact on public health and the future of preventative medicine.

Medical professionals are becoming increasingly interested in lifestyle medicine interventions. Lifestyle medicine has been hailed as the future in preventing the incidence of chronic disease due to lifestyle-related factors.

It is focused around promoting health and prevention of disease by educating and prescribing a healthy balanced diet, physical activity, adequate sleep, and positive lifestyle choices such as minimal alcohol consumption, minimising stress, and being a non-smoker.

One of the key facets of lifestyle medicine is encouraging patients to prevent disease through being physically active.

Exercise is now being termed “the magic pill” because of its unique ability to prevent an incredibly diverse range of diseases. Science is only beginning to uncover the extent of the impact that exercise can have.

Most of us are familiar with the guidelines to engage in at 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week,

such as brisk walking or cycling, and two strength sessions.

Though this equates to less than 30 minutes a day, these 150 minutes has been shown to add an average of three to four years to your life. In the American Journal of Cardiology study, it was further noted that individuals with a healthy BMI who had characteristics related to lack of fitness, such as shortness of breath and inactivity, increased their chances of being at high-risk of cardiovascular disease to a similar level as those in the overweight BMI cohort.

Prioritising physical activity will not only extend your

“This revelation about the relationship between BMI, exercise, and cardiovascular disease could have a major impact on public health” life and reduce your risk of chronic disease, it will also maintain and enhance your quality of life as you age, due to the mobility, muscle mass and cardiac health promoted by an active life.

In addition to moving more, sitting less has an impact on health. A 2016 study coordinated by the American Heart Association linked an increased risk of cardiovascular disease with 7.7 hours of sitting per day or more, a figure easily reached by office workers, students, or even anyone with a long commute. However, physical activity maintains a link to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease regardless of sedentary hours in the day. Despite this, both lack of activity and sedentary behaviour remain relevant risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that using BMI as the only method of analysing the risk of cardiovascular disease is simply not enough. Other tests must be used in tandem with BMI to accurately assess the risk of individual.

Additionally, the sole use of weight-loss treatment plans to reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events may not be sufficient. It is here where lifestyle medicine can come to the fore and use physical activity to maximise overall health and wellness, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. So please, get moving and protect your heart, promote your health, or you might just pay the price.

SCIENCE

Dark side of the Moon

Humanity has returned to the moon, and this time to the more mysterious side, which has consequences for scientific advancement and the countries involved. Danielle Crowley investigates.

On the 7th December 2018, an intrepid explorer set out on a mission that would be a first for the scientific community.

Launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China, a probe called Chang’e-4, named after the moon goddess of Chinese mythology, became the first man-made craft to land on the far side of the moon on the 3rd January.

After a period of standby, the rover contained within the probe woke up and sent its first images to Earth on the 11th January. Named after the jade rabbit which accompanied the moon goddess, the Yutu 2 rover will be the first craft to explore this little-known region.

Often referred to as ‘the dark side of the moon’, despite the fact that it experiences daylight, the far side of the moon never faces Earth as the moon is tidally locked with us. It has a much thicker and older crust, pockmarked with craters like an acne-ridden teenager. These craters were caused by asteroid impacts over the years and range in size.

The Von Kármán crater, where the probe landed, is located within an even larger crater called the South Pole-Aitken Basin. The crater is 2,500 km across and 13 km deep, and was formed billions of years ago when an asteroid around 500 km in diameter ploughed into it, even reaching the layer below the crust known as the mantle.

To put that in perspective, the asteroid believed to have brought an end to the age of the dinosaurs was a measly 12

have enough to do, German researchers have provided equipment to perform the Lunar Lander Neutrons and Dosimetry Experiment. Known as LND, this experiment will assess the radiation on the moon, which will not only study particles that originate in the Sun, but will help researchers to understand if the radiation on the moon will be dangerous to any humans who decide to visit in the future. This experiment is therefore absolutely vital for man taking any more “small steps” on the moon itself.

The lander has also brought some tiny passengers from Earth: seeds of cotton, potato, rapeseed, yeast, Arabidopsis and some fruit flies. Just a few days ago the cotton germinated, making it the first plant to grow on the moon.

This mission is an impressive feat for any country, but perhaps even more so for China, which only sent its first astronaut into orbit in 2003. It was the third country to do so, after traditional space superpowers: the Soviet Union and the US. Because of this history, and because this is a first for space science, there have been some mutterings that this

is the restart of the competitive “Space Race”, originally started by the US and Russia. However officials have stated that this is not the case, and say that China is willing to share its discoveries with other countries in the interest of advancing science.

In planning this mission, China has already worked with NASA, the US space agency. This collaboration had to be fought for, as the US Congress banned NASA from working with China in 2011 and an exception was only granted once the FBI and Congress were satisfied that no leaks of information pertaining to their national security could take place.

The findings from this cooperation could aid further moon landings and will be shared with the international research community at the UN space gathering in February.

The mission has had input from European researchers too.

Despite the collaborative effort from nations around the world, this is an impressive show of what Chinese scientists can do. Of course there is the incentive that the potential resources present on the moon would provide its

discoverers with fabulous wealth, as well as potentially provide our energy needs for at least 10,000 years.

Regardless of the motives, this lunar mission is a very significant step and opens up various options for the Chinese space agency, who have hopes to build a station on the moon and send missions to Mars, despite being smaller in both size and budget than NASA. Despite this, its plans and funds are less liable to change than its American counterpart, as the Chinese government is more consistent in its goals than the States.

Indeed, the Trump administration has suggested ending funding for the International Space Station by 2025, and if this comes to fruition the Chinese space station, Tiangong-2, could be the only one of its kind in orbit.

This lunar mission signals a great step forward in space exploration that will no doubt deepen our understanding of our nearest and dearest extra-terrestrial body and what lies beyond it. Potentially even more importantly, this could signal the beginning of increased cooperation between foreign space agencies for the benefit of us all.

“This experiment will assess the radiation on the moon (and) it will help researchers to understand if the radiation on the moon will be dangerous to any humans who decide to visit in the future” km across.

One of the mission’s objectives will be to examine the moon’s geological history and take photos of interesting locations, which will help us learn more about how our only natural satellite formed. In addition, experiments in radio astronomy will also take place. The focus is on low frequency radio waves, as these can be extremely difficult to pick up from Earth due to the level of background noise from our technology. A map of the radio waves across the sky at these low frequencies will be made and the lander’s equipment will even be able to study the Sun’s behaviour.

These studies may well return data that could never have been obtained otherwise.

But how will we be able to communicate with the lander if the moon blocks direct signals from Earth? A relay satellite will help us out. Following the mythological theme, it is called the Magpie Bridge, a reference to the story of two lovers who were banished to opposite sides of the Milky Way by the girl’s mother, a goddess who didn’t approve of the union. Magpies felt sorry for them and decided that they would make a bridge once a year to connect the couple.

As if the poor old lander and rover didn’t already

Look up to the sky and listen?

A Canadian radio telescope has picked up unusual radio waves from the depths of space, including one so rare it’s only been recorded once before. Danielle Crowley listens in.

Is there anyone out there? Some think so and believe we may have received evidence of it. Using radio telescopes, astronomers have picked up brief bursts of energy which last only a few thousandths of a second from far beyond our own galaxy. Known as “fast radio bursts”, or FRBs, they were first detected in 2007. While we have only detected a handful of them, scientists have estimated that thousands of FRBs happen every day.

The new signals, noticed by a scientific team using a radio telescope called the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), which was only set up last

year, also include something rather special: a radio burst that repeats. This is only the second repeating signal ever recorded. The first one, recorded in 2015 and given the unassuming name of FRB 121102, was recorded in Puerto Rico by the Arecibo radio telescope.

This new signal has a similar structure to FRB 121102, a discovery that has excited scientists. This could suggest that other signals with this structure might also be repeats.

The structure of the signals depends on where they originate in space. The distance they travel, as well as the phenomena they encounter on the way to Earth, such

as gas or plasma, can warp, scatter and twist the signals.

Properties such as the brightness of the signal can be recorded, as well as the frequency. When these clues are put together, the team can estimate where and in what sort of environment the signals originated, like interstellar detectives.

There are many theories explaining their formation, often involving neutron stars in various destructive scenarios. Neutron stars are formed when massive stars, far bigger than our own Sun, die and collapse. If one of these

“When these clues are put together, the team can estimate where and in what sort of environment the signals originated in” stars starts to spin rapidly in an area with a high magnetic field, signals like FRBs might be produced. Neutron stars also collide with each other, resulting in their destruction.

This might be plausible for signals that are recorded once and then disappear for good, but it falls flat when used as an explanation for the repeating signals.

Sometimes these rapidly-spinning neutron stars can start to fall apart under their own weight. Known as “blitzars”, they can result in the formation of a black hole.

But as with the theory involving colliding neutron stars, a star that ends up being destroyed is not capable of sending repeating signals. Black holes, an area of space where gravity is so strong not even light can escape its pull, are also popular characters in these origin theories. As well as blitzars, events such as neutron stars falling into black holes or even black holes being bombarded by dark matter may have a role in creating these mysterious signals.

The 13 bursts recently detected by CHIME are much brighter than any of the bursts recorded previously and have the lowest frequency of any of the bursts encountered so far. These bursts have a frequency of 400 megahertz (MHz), which is the lowest frequency that the CHIME telescope can detect. Signals recorded before had frequencies of around 1400 MHz. From this and by looking

at the structure of the radio waves, the team suspects that these signals originated from dense regions of galaxies that experience the kinds of volatile activities suggested above, such as areas near black holes or the remains of a supernova. A supernova is an exploding star, one of the most energetic events that can occur in the universe.

How far away these signals are can also be estimated.

FRB 121102 came from a galaxy that’s full of stars in various stages of life, three billion light-years away, in a constellation known as Auriga. This new signal is believed to be 1.5 billion light-years closer to us, but to confirm this, the originating galaxy will have to be pinpointe; a task that is not always possible.

When mysterious readings from space are received, there is always another explanation that is brought to the table. Professor Avi Loeb, based in the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has suggested that it could be a sign of aliens or, more precisely, alien technology. Rather than being used for communicating with other space-roaming beings, Loeb and his colleague Manasvi Lingam suggest that the signals are a by-product of transmitters the size of a planet used for locomotion.

They speculate that the transmitters could be used to bounce light or radio waves off enormous sails to propel extra-terrestrial craft among the stars, like an immense sailing ship.

It’s an intriguing and beautiful idea that no doubt grabs the imagination of science fiction lovers everywhere, but many scientists don’t consider this to be a highly likely option, citing the improbability that different civilisations from different regions of space are using the exact same signal in the same way.

While no-one can say for definite where these cosmic puzzles come from and what causes them, scientists will be on the lookout for more. Not only could more readings pin down the causes, they could help us understand the matter that exists between galaxies, such as gas, dust and plasma, known as the intergalactic medium.

For now, the bursts remain shrouded in mystery, which Shriharsh Tendulkar, author of the study, admits is part of their appeal. There is “a lot of fun in not knowing,” Tendulkar says. The signals could be signs of awesome natural phenomena, or maybe even the signs of an alien fleet, but one thing is for certain: they have captured our imaginations. The only thing left to do is to keep listening.

29TH JANUARY 2019

13

STUDENT VOICES

My Queer Diary and why trans representation matters in theatre Elijah Quinn

“Ultimately, the play is placed in what would appear a dystopian reality, but is laced with the harsh truth that many LGBTQ+ youths, and especially trans youths, are still facing intense levels of homophobia and transphobia, despite popular belief.”

“In the modern world, representation is so important for how we see ourselves. Being able to see yourself and your experiences represented on stage or on television is imperative for self acceptance. This was a strong motivator for both myself and Hayleigh when writing the piece.”

As both a Drama student and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I’m a strong believer in the concept of politicised theatre. I believe that when the government is silencing your voice, theatre is there to listen. Theatre often provides a platform to social movements and brings issues facing minority communities to the attention of a wider audience, thus spreading awareness and creating momentum towards social change. This was a driving force for me in a lot of my writing. A characteristic which I hope is evident in My Queer Diary, especially since 2018 saw a huge rise in transitivism in Ireland.

For those of you who haven’t seen the creative force of My Queer Diary spreading its way across Instagram in the past month, the play was written by myself, under the name A.E Quinn with the help of my partner in crime, Hayleigh McGowan. It is a story of a young trans man named Blake and the adversity and discrimination he faces on his journey to transition. The story focuses on how this journey not only impacted his life but the life of his close friend, Amelia. Having only two characters, the narrative is quite intimate and at times heartbreaking. For me, writing the story of Blake into existence was about creating a didactic way for a cis-heteronormative audience to understand what trans and non-binary people face as part of their everyday

life.

Ultimately, the play is placed in what would appear a dystopian reality, but is laced with the harsh truth that many LGBTQ+ youths, and especially trans youths, are still facing intense levels of homophobia and transphobia, despite popular belief. The piece creates a space were issues such as the strain on resources created by the lack of efficient trans health care causes, to the already weakened mental health services in Ireland. The lack of education surrounding LGBTQ+ issues, history and identities establish casualised phobias that are damaging to vulnerable members of the community. Our intent in creating Blake’s story is allowing an atmosphere where members of the trans community, and by extension of the LGBTQ+ community, can grieve over some of the hardships they’ve had to face while educating others on the issues by tossing them straight into the depths of these issues. This will allow audiences to experience Blake’s daily life even if only for the course of the play.

For me, it was imperative that we create a narrative where these issues can be discussed and processed through an accessible medium, particularly given that we had a very small pool of work to draw inspiration from. While writing the script over a year ago, it proved very difficult

to find any work discussing trans identity or the hardships faced by the community. After weeks of research, we stumbled across two Irish plays which focused on or featured trans characters: Amy Conroy’s Luck Just Kissed You Hello and Una McKevitt’s The Big Deal. Last year I saw the Civic Theatre stage a piece called Transition, Family and Me by Michele Ann Kelly, which tells the story of real members of the Irish transgender community. This production accounted for the third play depicting a trans narrative, meaning My Queer Diary will only be the fourth staged production in Ireland to focus on trans Identity. The production will also only be the second time a trans actor was cast in the trans role.

The amazing Sam Brophy will be playing Blake.

Sam brings an added layer of authenticity and personal experience to the character that really brings to life the story of Blake’s social transition. We felt with the amount of podcasting faced by the trans community under Hollywood productions, it was important to allow that added layer of authenticity to bring out the harshness of reality faced by many trans youths.

In the modern world, representation is so important for how we see ourselves. Being able to see yourself and your experiences represented on stage or on television is imperative for self acceptance. This was a strong motivator for both myself and Hayleigh when writing the piece. We felt it was important to create authentic reactions and scenarios, while highlighting just how much casualised and internalized transphobia can impact your life. A lot of Blake’s story is drawn on personal experience and the experiences of those closest to me. From the smallest reaction to coming out, to hate crimes he’s experienced. It was important to showcase a range of experiences in order to create a discussion surround these issues that are often overlooked.

With the backdrop of last years gender identity and inclusion policy launched by UCD, I feel like it’s the perfect time to debut My Queer Diary. It allows a space for those outside the community to learn what not to do and how much personal development can positively impact trans people on their journey to transition. This play becomes even more important given the misinformation being spread about Trans identity in light of the Primetime debate on the 22nd January, and the rise of trans exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs). The play will allow taboos surrounding trans identities to be deconstructed in a positive manner, giving an understanding on the issues faced by the community through conversation and self-growth and overall, allowing for positive movements of change. Paired with the launch of last year’s policy, this hopes to aid in helping trans and non-binary students feel more comfortable in who they are and the growth that can be achieved through highlighting the hardships they face.

My Queer Diary will run from the 11th to the 15th of February in the Dramsoc Theatre at 1pm. We hope to see you there.

I have always been bewildered by the intricacies of dating. While in my early twenties, I found this Pandora’s box to be novel and electrifying, as I age (ever so gracefully), the process has become cumbersome, fully pushing my boundaries of sanity and patience.

In my mind, dating in your 20s should be simple: the equivalent of a confetti party - thriving, vibrant and all around fun. The reality is that romantic pursuits all too often bring out both the best, and worst in us. While the movie industry has led us to believe otherwise, dating, as with most things in life, is a game, resting on the fine balance of probabilities.

The golden rule, of course, is to never be too eager.

As a heterosexual woman, I feel a certain social pressure, to often appear seemingly disinterested when first meeting someone. Being too forward, too friendly, too confident is off-putting, as the underlying implication is that you are more invested in the situation than your counterpart. And therein lies the problem. If keenness is viewed as pitifully uncool, then indifference becomes an attractive quality.

This game of cat and mouse becomes amusing, because there is a level of risk involved, that the other person may not reciprocate. And thus, we thrive in this tension-filled atmosphere, because it’s exciting not being able to predict its outcome.

In a world of contrasts, I find I am prone to hypocrisy, on all accounts. I complain to my friends about the unwillingness of a guy to be forward. However, in the same regard, if a random stranger approached me on the street

inquiring for my number, I would most likely run the other way, if not call the guards.

There is no winning, it seems. Thus, in order, to avoid the awkwardness and confrontation of these encounters, social apps like Tinder or Bumble are allowing strangers to connect through the means of a screen. Much like one-hit wonder Natalie Imbruglia, I am torn because in spite of my dislike of social media, these tools have the power to potentially connect strangers, who may have not had the opportunity to meet otherwise. On the other hand, these sites serve as a sort of a crutch for us.

It is easy to ask someone out through an instant message, because the fear of rejection isn’t as glaringly awkward. We don’t feel as inhibited, because we don’t need to vocalize these seemingly intimidating questions to someone’s face.

Thus, while dating websites allow us to soothe our egos, through the validation of a like, they may nullify the need to sharpen our social skills in real life.

There is something to be said about meeting someone, in the flesh. The experience feels altogether, more organic.

You can read someone’s body language, their facial expression, which speaks a whole lot more to their character than a digital profile. The intimate nature of dating means that, on the whole, we feel a lot more vulnerable because we have a lot more to lose. Maybe sometimes though, it’s worth taking the risk to break out of our shell, to throw ourselves into this unknown abyss. The result may be surprising, as on the road to getting to know others, we get know a bit more of ourselves.

On the dating game Veronica Rozynek

14 VOL XXV, ISSUE 5

GAEILGE

Oíche Chiúin; Ag caitheamh Nollaig sa Ghaeltacht Labhrann Hugh Mac Giolla Chearra faoi a chuid taithí ag dul abhaile ar feadh an tréimhse Nollaig.

Bhí cúig bomaite caite agam sa teach sular raibh mé ag amharc ar Daniel O’Donnell ar TG4 ag seinm ceol tíre. Ní raibh morán iontas orm go raibh seo ag tarlú, ach bhí iontas orm gur tharla sé chomh gasta agus gur tharlaigh sé. Bhí mo mhathair ar taobh amháin dom ag labhairt faoi cé chomh sásta is a raibh sí go raibh mé sa bhaile agus bhí mo athair agus bhí mo athair ar an taobh eile ag lorg sean amhrán a d’éist sé leis nuair a bhí sé mo aoise ar an iPad. Bhí tine breá lasta sa seomra agus ag déanamh an seomra i bhfad níos teo ná bhí de dhith air. Bhí an gaoth mór ag séideamh agus ag creathadh na fuinneoige agus ag déanamh fuaim thar an torráin as an teilifís. Bhí mé scriosta ach bhí mé breá sásta le bheidh abhaile.

Corruair deánaim dearmad cé chomh fhada ar shiúil is atá mo baile as an cathair seo. Nuair a labhrann tú le daoine as Baile Átha Chliath faoi Tír Chonnail, chuireann siad an mothúcháin trasna gur plainéad go h-iomlán difriúil é ó an chuid eile don tír. Caithim achan seachtaine ag déanamh argóint le daoine nach bhfuil Dún na nGall chomh fhada as an cathair agus a shíleann daoine. Tá fhios agam nach bhfuil traein ar bith ar fáil, agus go bhfuil ort dul fríd an teorainn faoi dhó le fáil chuig an contae sular fáigheann tú chuig an Gaeltacht sa chéad áit ach tá sé ceart go leor, a deirim. Agus ansin fáighim an bus. Is iad na cúig uair idir Sráid Phairnéal agus an séipeal in Annagaire na cúig uair is faide a chaitear riamh. Sléibh ina dhiadh sléibh ina dhiadh sléibh, in aice le duine nach tuigeann an conchéip do “spás pearsanta” agus luchtoirí fón nach oibríonn; is iad seo na príomh rudaí a faigheann tú as turas ar bus John McGinley. Agus ná deán dearmad ar an áit is measa ar scáil an domháin: an staisiúin peitreal i Muineacháin. Ní raibh fhios agam go raibh tú abálta barraíocht stairse a chuir i rolla cearca ach ar dóigh inteacht bhí Bialann Sam abálta é a dhéanamh. Tá an méid sin áiteannaí a shíleann tú go bhfuil an turas thart agus ní stopann sé. Nuair a shroicheann tú Annagaire, mothaíonn tú ar nós fear a bhí greamaithe i oighear ar feadh na céadta bliain; tuirseach, caite, agus go bhfuil do chorp ina diadh ag eirigh níos sine gan aon athrú a teacht ort. Nuair atá tú sa teach, ní féidir leat rud ar bith a dhéanamh ach téigh ina chodladh cé go raibh tú ag codhladh ar an bus a fhéin.

Bíonn an Nollaig saghas difrúil sa Ghaeltacht agus a bhíonn sé anseo sa chathair. Ar an chéad dul síos, níl morán clubannaí oícheanntaí thart ar an áit. Tá an Nollaig caite le do teaghlach nó i teach tabhairne beag ar cúinne beag ar taobh leis an bealach mór. Níl aon nós de táispeant an teachtaireacht as an Banríon nó Jools Holland; ní amharcann tú ach ar CU Burn agus Caitlín Níc Aoidh ag glac an bliain úr isteach, ag fáil an cuntas síos mícheart.

Téann tú chuig teach do col ceathair beag le amharc ar an quad úr a bhfuair sé as Santa agus deanann tú iarracht gan fáil bás agus é ag tiomáint thart ort. Ach amháin iad seo, níl morán de difir idir na traidisiúntaí a mbíonn ar siúil sa Ghaeltacht. Bíonn turca againne don dinnéar ar feadh seachtaine iomlán, téann tú chuig an aifreann agus buaileann tú le do chara is fearr ó an bunscoil nach bhfuil feicthe agat le bliantaí agus labhrann sé faoi an turas a bhí aige chuig an tSeapáin. Tarlaíonn an ghnáth saol thart ort, ach amháin go bhfuil níos mó soilse thart ar na sráideanna agus níl ach trí amhráin ar an raidió arís agus arís.

Tá fadhbannaí le dul abhaile don Nollaig, afach. Mar gheall go bhfuil an méid sin ama caite agam i UCD agus tá an fíor t-ádh orm go bhfuil ciorcal soisialta láidir agam, tá na cairde is fearr ar an domhan agam anseo. Ach nuair a téim abhaile, níl seans ar bith go bhfeicfidh mé iad go dtí

go bhfuil mé ar ais anseo. Bhí na uaireanntaí caite agam ag labhairt fríd an oíche le mo chuid cairde is fearr agus ag croithneadh iad go millteanach, ag croithneadh an ceol agus an craic a bhí againne nuair a bhí muid le chéile.

In áit seo tá na oícheanntaí caite ag cogarnadh faoi na bronntanasaí a bhfuair muid, an argóint a bhí againne lenár gcuid teaghlaigh agus an grá atá againne idir a chéile.

Tá mo chróisa istigh i Nollaig sa Ghaeltacht. Níl áit ar

“Is iad na cúig uair idir Sráid Phairnéal agus an séipeal in Annagaire na cúig uair is faide a chaitear riamh.”

bith eile níos fearr le dul i bhfolach as achan píosa obair atá le déanamh agat nó idir na sléibhte agus an fharraige.

Níl ort an teach a fágail ar scor ar bith do duine ar bith. Is é an Gaeltacht ceann de na áiteannaí amháin tá fhios agat nach chuirfidh duine ar bith isteach ort agus do am fhéin pearsanta. Ní raibh riamh duine ar bith a thainig isteach gan mise ag cuir cuireadh orthu ar dtús nó scairt ar an fón ag cuartú obair le bheidh déanta. Ba é an am is suaine den bhliain agus bhéinnse cailte gan an am tábhachtach seo.

Ní hé an príomh fáth den Nollag na bronntanasaí nó an crann; is é an príomh fáth ná an ciúnas agus an suaineas atá ar fáil duit ina dhiadh bliain deacair ag obair ar son rud inteacht. Molfainn do duine ar bith Nollaig a chaitheamh sa Ghaeltacht, is é an rud is fearr a dhéanfaidh tú riamh.

Glúin Gan Glór: Cá bhfuil an dramaíocht as Gaeilge?

Níl morán dramaíocht nua-chuma as Gaeilge níos mó. Ceistíonn Hugh Mac Giolla Chearra seo.

Má tá aon suim agat sna h-ealaíne tá fhios agat an craic atá bainte le Amharclann an Mainistreach faoi láthair. Tá formhór de na daoine sa réimse dramaíocht míshásta leis an dóigh atá an amharclann reachtailte, go h-áirithe go bhfuil dramaí as tíortha eile ag déanamh formhór den féilire den bhliain. Thainig seo mar freagra chuig an am fada a bhí caite ag an ceoldrama Meiriceánach “Come From Away” ar siúil san amharclann thar an Nollaig. Bhí an litir seo sínithe ag na céadta daoine ag obair sna h-ealaíonta sa tír, le aisteoirí cosúil le Ruth Negga agus Aidan Gillen ag chuir a ainmneacha ar an liosta chun tacaíocht a táispeáint.

Ní raibh siad sásta nach raibh an tír ag fáil ionadaíocht ar an stáitse náisiúnta den tír, amharclann ina bhfuil áit lonnaithe i stair na tíre ina dhiadh an ról a bhí aige mar pháirt den athbheochan cultúrtha a tharlaigh sa tír roimh an Éirí Amach, go h-áirithe an triobláid a bhí acu nuair a chuir siad “Playboy of the Western World” ar siúil i 1909.

Agus nuair a bhí mé ag léamh faoi an nuacht seo, chuala mé go raibh ceoldrama nua-chumtha as Gaeilge ag teacht go dtí Báile Átha Chliath faoi Oisín i dTír na nÓg. Bhí mé chomh sásta le feiceáil go raibh dramaí as Gaeilge ar fáil, ach ansin bhí mé ag smaoineamh; cén fáth nach bhfuil níos

mó béime churtha ar dramaíocht tríd ár dteanga dúcháis?

Nuair a chuirtear cheist ar daoine faoi dramaíocht trí mheáin na Gaeilge, níl ach drama amháin gur féidir a smaoineamh air. Níl me chun é a ainmniú mar tá aithne orraine uilig ar cén cheann atá mé ag labhairt faoi agus tá sé scríofta faoi agam faoi dhó an bhliain seo, ach do na daoine nach bhfuil aithne acu orthu, is é an ceann faoi na daoine a oibríonn mar glantóirí atá mé ag caint faoi. Ach tá níos mó nó an scéal grá sin ar fáil sa saol na hÉireann. Ba cheart go mbeidh níos mó na an sean drama sin cáiliúil i saol na ghnáth daoine. Má fanann muid leis an drama seo agus ag cuir béim ar an ceann seo leis fhéin, cén seans a mbeidh ag scríobhneoirí úr a chuid scéaltaí agus iomhannaí a chuir ar an stáitse os comhair an pobal? Nuair a smaoineann daoine faoi dramaíocht tríd an Béarla, ní smaoineann siad ar drama amháin a bhí déanta ag Shakespeare uair amháin.

Tá rogha mór leathan do dramaí a dtagann go dtí inchinn daoine agus iad ag smaoineamh ar dramaíocht faoi seo. Cén fáth nach déantar níos mó iarracht chun dramaí a chuir ar siúil in amharclannaí ar fad na tíre? Muna chuireann muid stáitse ar fáil do na scríobhneoirí den lá atá inniú, cén fáth a scríobhadh siad drama ar bith san am seo?

Níl seo le rá nach bhfuil dramaí ar bith scríofa trí Gaeilge ag an am seo. Mar is eolas daoibh, bíonn comortasaí ar fad na tíre trí Gaeilge agus de ghnáth, chuirtear dramaí nuachumtha ar an stáitse do iad seo. An fadhb amháin atá anseo nó an comortas é fhéin. Cuirfidh mé é mar seo; an rachadh tú chuig comortás i scoil muna raibh tú gaolta le cheann de na páistí a bhí ag glacadh páirt ann? Deireann den chuid is mó agaibh nach dhéantar sin ar scor ar bith. Anois, muna raibh tú chun sin a dhéanamh, cén fáth a rachadh tú chuig drama a bhí déanta ag strainséirí nach raibh aithne agat orthu agus bhí fhios agat nach raibh siad ag déanamh é ach ar son comortás? Is rud amaitéireach iad na comortaisí seo fosta, agus mar gheall ar sin ní bhíonn an tacaíocht céanna ar fáil do na dramaí seo ó na amharclannaí. Níl mé ag rá nach bhfuil an lua céanna ag dramaí amaitéireach agus dramaí proifisiúnta, ach tá mé ag rá nach bhfuil an tacaíocht céanna ar fáil do dramaí gan airgead ar a chúl.

I mó thuairimse, ba cheart go mbeidh bord ann le chuir airgead ar fáil do ealaíntóirí chun dramaí nua-chumtha as Gaeilge a dhéanamh agus chun airgead a chuir ar fáil do na aisteoirí agus na foireannaí atá ag obair orthu. Má tá níos mo airgead curtha isteach sa drama, beidh níos mó suim ag

suim ag daoine chun seó proifisiúnta a fheiceáil.

Le bheidh go h-iomlan ionraice, sílim an dóigh amháin go beidh muid abálta dramaíocht tríd Gaeilge a feabhsú nó le amharclann amháin le dramaí trí Gaeilge amháin anseo sa príomhcathair. Tá amharclannaí ar nós seo thart ar na Gaeltachtaíar fad na tíre ar nós Amharclann Gaoth Dobhair agus ceannaí eile cosúil le sin ach muna bhfuil aitheantas ar bith táispeanta den dramaíocht seo sa príomh cathair, ní bheidh daoine ag glacadh é chomh daríre agus a cheart daofa. Tá sé i bhfad níos fusa chun fáil lucht féachanta sa príomh chathair agus atá ag fáil daoine le taisteail amuigh chuig na Gaeltachtaí. Níl ar daoine dul chuig achan uile drama ach deirfinn da mbeidh an-suim sa chathair seo do amharclann lán-Gaelach. Tá athbheochan ag teacht leis an teanga agus tá daoine ag iarraidh a chuid scéalta a bheidh curtha ar an stáitse le bheidh táispeanta don tír agus den domhan. Tá cuid de na scéaltaí seo trí Gaeilge agus ba cheart go chuireann muid na scéaltaí seo ar fáil sa teanga seo. Muna chuireann muid rud mar seo ar fáil gan mhoill níl fhios agam caidé a tarladh go dtí an teanga agus an gaol atá aige leis an dramaíocht.

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15

AGRICULTURE & RURAL AFFAIRS

Plan, plan, plan: the IGA Dairy Conference looks ahead to the future.

Daire Brady looks back at the topics of discussion brought to the farmers and industry professionals at this year’s IGA Dairy Conference.

A crowd of over seven hundred farmers and industry professionals descended on the Charleville Park Hotel for the 2019 Irish Grassland Association Dairy Conference, which was held in early January. The annual conference, hosted by President Ciaran Lynch, is one of several events held by the IGA throughout year and focuses on the business of dairying. The key message at this year’s grassland conference was not to spend time reflecting on the past year, but to plan and prepare for the coming year, ensuring that the necessary resources, such as fodder reserves, are in sufficient supply.

This year’s line-up of speakers consisted of a mixture of dairy farmers, advisors and researchers from Ireland and abroad. Chaired by Noreen Lacey of IFAC, the first session of the day consisted of Welsh dairy farmer Rhys James, who spoke about the growth of his herd from 250 cows to over 480 cows despite TB setbacks and the drought conditions of 2018. Rhys also spoke of the importance of managing grass, and how grass measuring has become religiously part of his weekly routine. The output for 2018 amounted to 2090 Kg milk solids/ha within the milking platform, while the net profit for 2017 made £2,013/ha, before drawings, rent, depreciation and tax.

Agri Consultant Mike Brady followed with ‘key characteristics of highly profitable dairy farmers’, explaining how the Teagasc Moorepark target profit model of €2,500 per hectare was employed to analyse farm incomes, formulated off a base milk price of €0.29/L, and proved a popular presentation amongst conference goers. Taking the average dairy farm size into account, this amounts to a keen net profit of €92,500 on 37 hectares.

Knowing and sticking to their system of milk production also proved to be a key characteristic; over 90% of dairy farmers fall into the high input and low input spring milk production systems in Ireland today. Brady noted that more variability exists within systems rather than between systems.

The topic of Brexit was also discussed at this year’s conference, and the potential effect it will have on the industry. A rather interesting viewpoint was raised in the way that a hard Brexit could potentially benefit the industry by unlocking land for expansion and potentially, new entrants. This comes at a time when farmers in the West are increasingly anxious, as large-scale dairy farmers and forestry investors are the prime cause of inflating land prices. However, it was said that new entrants have to prepared to move for their career in the industry.

West-Cork dairy farmer, Denis O’Donovan, spoke of his career in dairying, and the growth of his herd of 50 cows to 150 high EBI Jersey-cross cows, producing over 1,300 kilos of milk solids per hectare farmed. Joined by his wife Collette, and son Eoghan, he described himself as more of

a grass farmer than a dairy farmer, growing over 16.25t/ ha on platform, his objective being to grow as much grass as possible. Denis strongly advocated the use of regular soil testing ensuring the soil P and K status remains at the optimum level.

In terms of breeding, Denis emphasised the importance of having cows at the right body condition score at breeding, as well as regular tail painting insisting that it is “not simply a lip service.” Three weeks AI is implemented in the herd with Denis inseminating twice per day, a process he feels is adding to the high conception rates and low infertility. Vasectomised bulls are then run with the herd to help detect repeats as well as a homegrown bull.

A particular emphasis was placed on the value of water as resource in the dairy industry and its sustainable use in the milk production process. According to Denis, more of an emphasis needs to be placed on the sustainability of Irish milk, pointing out that it takes 140 litres of water to produce 1 litre of milk in the US, compared to the Carbery farmer average of 7 litres of water per 1 of litre of milk in Ireland. According to Denis, planting trees will also become a major part of the effort to reduce our carbon

Illustration: Samaneh Sadeghi-Marasht

Brexit deal defeat could prove catastrophic for beef industry Daire Brady discusses how the defeat of the UK withdrawal agreement could potentially affect the Irish beef industry.

The beef industry has suffered quite the grilling throughout the first month of the year, following Theresa May’s Brexit deal defeat in the House of Commons, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s recent comments in the Dáil regarding his venture into flexitarianism and a period of unrest between producer and processor regarding prices and carcass trimming. These, coupled with the uprise of the Beef Plan movement, have triggered organisations such as the IFA to return to both London and Brussels in hope of reaching an agreement to cast aside the fears of beef producers in Ireland.

Ireland exports over 90% of the beef it produces, with the overwhelming majority of this beef exported to the EU market, of which 50% reaches the UK. Following a no-deal Brexit, ‘Most Favoured Nation’ or MFN tariffs are likely to come into effect, thereby lowering the competitiveness of Irish beef within the UK and resulting in a significant loss of preferential market access.

The withdrawal agreement negotiated between the UK and Brussels, suffered a landslide defeat in the House of Commons on Tuesday 15th January, with 432 MP’s voting against, and only 202 opting for the deal.

Recent comments from the ICSA President Patrick Kent state that “the defeat of Theresa May’s Brexit deal

16 VOL XXV, ISSUE 5

in the House of Commons has raised the level of risk for the Irish beef sector to status orange.” Kent vowed for an agreement to be made with the EU on special measures in a last-ditch effort to underpin the beef sector. Eddie Punch, general secretary of the ICSA added that “a no-deal Brexit would lead to WTO tariffs and probably a very negative movement in exchange rates, so that Irish beef exports to the UK would suddenly be economically unsustainable.”

The EU has a history of supporting producers following the implementation of tariffs, and in an effort to temporarily stabilise the industry following a no-deal Brexit, Kent called for “a special package to buy displaced Irish beef into emergency storage or intervention.”

On an EU level, the UK is a major contributor to the EU budget, with a net contribution of over £8.9 billion in 2017. Agriculture, which accounts for approximately 40% of the EU budget, is set to see budget cuts, which could potentially lead to lower CAP payments, of which beef producers are heavily reliant on. Concerns have also been raised by other member states on the negative effect the surplus beef will on have market prices.

Other sources report that Irish companies are scattering to lease and purchase warehousing in the UK, in an effort to stockpile product before tariffs are introduced.

“A hard Brexit could potentially benefit the industry by unlocking land for expansion and potentially, new entrants.” footprint.

The subsequent session, chaired by Associate Professor Karina Pierce of UCD, included Chief Science Advisor to New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries and UCD Animal Science alumnus Dr. John Roche. Dr. Roche spoke on the topic of marginal milk, which he described as being the additional milk produced when you change your system of farming. For instance, using supplementary feed to fill a feed deficit will lead to an extra production of marginal milk. He emphasised the fact that there is no such thing as a fixed-cost when it comes to marginal milk, pointing out that electricity increases as well as feed costs. Outlining

the fact that the cost of producing marginal milk is quite expensive in Ireland, over €0.45c/L according to Teagasc research, he advised farmers to ensure the nutritional advice they are receiving is correct and relevant to their system of production.

Manager of the Greenfield Dairy Farm and UCD ACP alumnus David Fogarty was the final person to speak on the day. Having taken over the role of manager of the farm in Kilkenny early last year, David spoke of the success and hardships in running the farm, as well as the process of recovery from a particularly difficult drought on the farm in 2018. Having taken over the farm during a prolonged winter, before entering a drought beginning early June, it was clear that grass production was going take a blow, with grass growth down from 15.5t/ha in 2017, to 12.1t/ha in 2018. The effects of drought were felt when the farm was hit with increased costs amounting to €110,000, or €350 per cow. Further plans to combat the feed deficit included externally wintering 100 dry cows and 72 in-calf heifers, as well as sourcing fodder in the northwest of the country.

Upcoming IGA events include the sheep and beef conferences, dairy summer tour and student conference.

Careers In Ag: What will you be when you graduate?

Ahead of the Agri Careers Expo in the RDS, Daire Brady tells you of the career opportunities for students in agricultural science.

As we progress into semester two, weighing up future potential career options is becoming more and more of an everyday thought. UCD students are beginning to specialise in their individual streams and apply for Erasmus programmes, organise professional work experience, and begin their work placement in various disciplines.

Whether it involves finding off-farm employment before eventually returning home to farm, or entering the industry with the aim of staying in it for the foreseeable future, or even having a balance of both, it remains beneficial to be constantly on the lookout for interesting future career opportunities.

Though a long way off for us second and first years, it is becoming more and more of a reality for current 3rd years, as they undertake placement on farms, in advisory services and other firms such as Dairygold, Glanbia or Kerry; both in Ireland and abroad. Not forgetting the 4th years, in which the pressure is also mounting for those who intend on applying for roles in companies, graduate programmes or undertaking masters or PhD degrees, it is always worthwhile to have your sights set on a future form of employment. Fortunately, with a degree in Agricultural Science, the potential and scope for career opportunities is quite broad, with roles in various industries across the globe.

Though some may be reluctant to return for fear of exam nightmares, the Irish Farmers Journal’s much

anticipated Agri Careers Expo takes place in the RDS on February 14th. Currently in its 3rd year, the exposition has received positive feedback annually and continually attracts a large UCD contingent given its proximity to the college. A range of exhibitors, including Agritech, Dawn Meats, Aurivo, McHale, Teagasc and Bord Bia are said to be in attendance and recruiting on the day. The expo presents a great opportunity for students to gain an insight into each company and network with existing employees.

Companies are said to be recruiting on the day in several areas, including HR, finance, engineering, production and commercial specialists.

Current graduate programmes offer roles in a range of disciplines, such as accounting and finance, production and business support such as HR, marketing, SCM and procurement. The opportunity to travel within the business tends to be a recurring element in graduate programmes offered by global firms. Aside from offering graduate programmes and work placement, companies such as Glanbia and Lakeland are now focusing their attention on undergraduate opportunities, by offering 12 week summer internships to students who wish to gain experience in a specific area. The IFJ also offer two undergraduate placements for students with an interest in agriculture and journalism. Ideally, the student will have a background in agriculture or journalism, or a related discipline.

Applications will be accepted until March 3rd.

PUZZLES

The Literary Alpaca Hello there 1 2 3 4 5 6

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Across

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2. You may be too raw to eat this

1. Who casted out the Castros?

4. 'Authentic' Korean drink

3. Brazilian new Trump-like President, rhymes with 'hair'

6. Tennis players are Slam-ing here at the moment

5. Country running 271 days on fossil-fuel-free energy

10. Your Irishman's favourite Italian dish

7. Italian salumi that's the next hipster pizza topping

11. New pizza joint in Dublin that's a play on the word 'pizza'

8. This is seen when your food is rotting yet can be eaten itself

12. Eire's latest export boom-product

9. Moroccan claypot for fancy eating

15. This un-buzzed Heathrow with its buzz

13. The Nobel Economist this year 14. Essentially a long onion

29TH JANUARY 2019

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EDITORIAL Editorial Our front page lays bare the intransigence of the State in relation to the welfare of those in direct provision. The story of a UCD student who travels from a direct provision centre in Waterford every day is shocking, but tells us little that we do not already know about the apparent will of the State to isolate and demean these humans. At every juncture, from the pitiful weekly allowance, to the right to employment and the provision of education supports, the State has demonstrated at best, a reluctance to engage with the reality of a dehumanising system, and at worst, a determination to strip asylum seekers of their autonomy.

Either way, they have shirked their obligations.

Despite the determination of the government, asylum seekers have, more recently, asserted their rights and have been vindicated in doing so. The introduction of grants

THE UNIVERSITY OBSERVER TEAM for asylum seekers in many universities around Ireland and the Supreme Court’s decision in 2018 to allow those in direct provision to seek employment (a decision largely muted by onerous restrictions introduced by the minority Fine Gael government) has, to some extent, vindicated the human rights of asylum seekers.

As they search for ways to integrate themselves into Irish society, inching away from the talons of a State playing the unenthusiastic host, asylum seekers must have their worth recognised and emphasised. They have always been more than a report in the news and more than the application forms, clinically assessed in the Department of Justice. Now, as some are taking their rightful place as our peers in universities and in workplaces, Irish students must welcome them graciously, and reject the tribalism

and xenophobia which has seen attacks on accommodation centres for asylum seekers, such as those in Rooskey, Co Leitrim this month and in Moville, Co Donegal, in November. Most of all, students must work to build a country where humanity is valued and where the prospect of abysmal living conditions are not leveraged to deter asylum seekers.

As with the student who has so graciously came forward with their story, the determination and courage of asylum seekers to join and contribute to Irish society must be respected, welcomed and admired. By doing so, students can demonstrate to the State that there is little appetite for the foot-dragging which has characterised their approach for so long.

EDITOR Brían Donnelly DEPUTY EDITOR Dylan O’Neill ART AND DESIGN EDITOR Fiachra Johnston NEWS EDITOR Gavin Tracey INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR Úna Sinnott SU AFFAIRS EDITOR Katia Gillen

Talleyrand Like an STI you just can’t shake, Talley’s back bitches!

Slouching from their holiday hangover caves, the sabbats have put aside their headaches and their differences for the common good: planning parties for students and indoctrinating them into the secretive working of the Union.

Start as you mean to go on, as the saying goes and the slimy sabbats have taken this literally by spending the first week back, out of the office for ‘Raise And Give’ week. Talley believes that this was just a pretty (and thinly veiled) spin on the true meaning: Rioting and Galavanting, conveniently locating a lot of their “charity events” in the popular watering hole known as the Clubhouse.

Speaking of thinly veiled spins, the Great, Honorable, Glorious and Righteous Barry Murphy has been doing his best to quell any rumblings of misconduct and abuse of power since taking the throne in the SU corridor. Taking a page out of Richard Nixon’s Guide to Media Relations, Murphy has been shaking hands and kissing babies with the masses of UCD’s student population in an attempt to continue the facade that he’s just the same as you. Spouting popular lines such as “people need time to procrastinate too”, Murphy has completely reinvented himself as a laidback college student and seems to be planning on coasting through to the end of his term. Is this an underhanded play to secure what his idol Nixon could not, a third consecutive bid for the presidency? Talley wouldn’t be surprised. Next he’ll be deciding who gets to vote.

Unsatisfied with the lack of female representation in certain areas of history, Melissa Plunkett has joined the likes of Benedict Arnold, Darth Vader and Judas in the infamous turncoat hall of history, bringing new meaning to the Shakespeare’s verse “Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned.” In her attempts to be Queen Bey and rule the world, Plunkett has forgotten the sage advice of “vaulting ambition which overleaps itself.” That’s right, Talley saw Macbeth too.

It seems that Thomas Monaghan landed himself on

HIGHER EDUCATION EDITOR Brian Treacy Santy’s good-list last year and was given a shiny new phone to play with and has since ensured that everyone on Instagram and Snapchat knew he was doing his job.

Talley heard first hand the Santa’s elves were particularly concerned over poor Monaghan’s plight, and met with the people he knows best to discuss how to improve the communication of the Campaigns & Communication Officer. Monaghan was so happy with his new toy and all the tricks it could do, that he showed all his friends, every night last week, in Coppers.

Irish mammies across the country have been ringing in to supposed miracle worker Stephen Crosby, demanding that their young ones be bumped up a grade over mistakes made by the examiner during the Xmas exams. Crosby spent “Results Night” crying in his office over having to break the bad news to concerned parents, informing them that he tried his absolute best and reminding them that it’s only an exam at the end of the day and they can resit it in May. The sounds of laughter from the Clubhouse a few doors down did little to quell the swelling of FOMO in his heart.

Ahead of the Seanad registration deadline, Niall Torris has begun the year with a newfound determination to get people on the registry, which has seemingly nothing to do with rumours that he’s been moonlighting as campaign advisor for Senator Alice-Mary Higgins. Torris appears to be unfazed by recent world events, and believes that there is no image problem with a register of a specific group of people. Operating from his Belfield office beside the 175 bus stop, Torris has been talking the ear off unsuspecting commuters, and enticing them to sign up with the fear that he too will run again for Graduate Officer if he doesn’t meet his quota.

After last semester culminated in the forced the eviction of staff, it isn’t just the students that are begrudgingly returning to another semester in this dystopian novel of a university. Staff have been pulling sickies since Blue Monday just to prolong that Christmas feeling of cabin

fever. For example, Law Professor and flower-power enthusiast, Andrew Jackson has been vacationing outside the 4 Courts, telling off people he sees using single use plastic. Talley doesn’t really see the appeal spending your time caring for the environment, but I suppose death really changes your priorities. You’ll understand when the flames engulf you too.

This new year seems to have gotten everyone onto the streets, donning their very best yellow hi-vis jackets and protesting...asking for more...wanting...well I’m not actually sure exactly what, but hey, Talley is entertained and that’s all that matters at the end of days.

Until next time plebs, keep laughing into the abyss.

Talley-out.

FEATURES EDITOR Doireann de Courcy Mac Donnell COMMENT EDITOR Nathan Young AGRICULTURE & RURAL AFFAIRS EDITOR Dáire Brady PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION EDITOR William Higgins LAW & POLITICS EDITOR Laurence Childs BUSINESS & CAREERS EDITOR Ciarán Busby SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Emmet Feerick DEPUTY SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Séan Mooney EARARTHOIR GAEILGE Hugh Mac Giolla Chearra SPORTS EDITOR Rory Clarke DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR Colmán Stanley CHIEF OF PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Fagan DEPUTY PHOTOGRAPHER Conor Cosgrove

Letters to the Editor

CHIEF OF ILLUSTRATIONS Freya Williams .............................................................

Letters, corrections, and clarifications pertaining to articles published in this newspaper and online are welcomed and encuraged.

Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, University Observer, UCD Student Centre, Belfield, Diublin 4 Correspondence may also be sent to editor @universityobserver.ie

CHIEF OF VIDEOGRAPHY Orla Keaveney COLUMNISTS Molly Greenough Matthew Tannam-Elgie Veronica Rozynek CONTRIBUTORS Andrea Andres Killian Conyngham Michael Tuohy Heather Reynolds Jade Wilson Orla Keaveney Caoilfhinn Hegarty Brian Burke James Doneghey Aela O’Flynn Lilian Loescher Danielle Crowley Elijah Quinn Veronica Rozynek Shivani Shukla Odhran McDonnell CONGRATULATIONS The staff of The University Observer want to wish congratulations to our Deputy Science editor, Sean Mooney on his recent engagement.

Celebrate 25+ years of student journalism with us Visit universityobserver.ie to learn more

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SPORT

Anonymous donor saves the UCD Athletics track from life-support With input from both sides, Rory Clarke discovers how the future of the Athletics track in UCD is shaping up.

The fate of the UCD Athletics track is finally looking up, and with it, the future of athletics in UCD and Ireland as a whole.

When the original Belfield track was closed in 2011, amidst health and safety fears and partially converted to provide more parking in 2014, there were many who feared that there would be no replacement to the tartan track. Amber Hayes, current Ladies Captain, admits that “it has been an extremely long and painful process. I think everyone knows that it has been a long time coming.

Football and rugby players wouldn’t be able to play without a pitch, so you can imagine how tough it has been for the athletic committees over the last 8 years trying to organise trainings.”

Starved of funding until an anonymous donation of €3 million last year, UCD athletes were consigned and resigned, to training off campus in Ringsend at Irishtown Stadium. This donor, who has determinedly remained in the shadows, has revived a project that had rested far too long on the back burners. In rejecting UCD’s application for a grant of €864,500 for a new track in 2012, the Department of Tourism and Sport noted (in documents procured by the College Tribune) that the project was “well within the scope for [UCD] to complete without’ the grant, due to €100 million of funding available to UCD at the time. This, along with UCD’s decision to close the old track without making any provision for a new one, indicates that the track was a victim of trademark UMT ‘long-fingering’ and indifference.”

Although the donation was made public in late January last year, Hayes confirmed that the club was not directly contacted regarding it until April 2018. That same month, they were dispirited upon attending a sports development meeting and “not getting track questions answered”, this “whilst hearing rumours about the track here and there”.

Therefore, on 25th October 2018 the club was delighted to be invited to participate in a student consultative workshop related to the build process of the new running track. Those in attendance included Hayes, Eamonn Murphy (Mens Captain), David Heffernan (Sprints Captain), the heads of UCD Sport, Dominic O’Keefe (Head of Student Services), architects, designers and 3 former Athletic Club members (Ellie Hartnett, Richard Owes and Claire Mooney). Their involvement, at every level, is essential as, according to Hayes, “we’re the people who actually need and will benefit from the track.”

It was a fruitful meeting. Dominic O’Keefe commented that the groups “input and vision as a sub-group initiated the design & planning phase of the project.” Hayes was ecstatic to see, and be involved in, the progress being made, commenting “it was great to finally see an architectures plan and layout of our deeply missed track [and] to be able to comment and provide our experiences/concerns with the track.”

Hayes, on behalf of the UCD Athletics Club, wishes to place on record their sincere and heartfelt thanks for the donation. “I hope the donor knows how much this will benefit us and the future [of the club]. It’s all thanks to them. The planning permission may not have happened for another 10+ years if it wasn’t for them, so we will be forever in their debt. There has always been lobbying behind the scenes, each committee passed this track duty onto the next. But the reality of it was that there was no money allocated for this until the donor came along. They must have heard the Club’s story. We are so very grateful to them.”

Originally costed at €1.6 million, the sizeable donation indicates the angel donor’s desire to not only physically build the track to IAAF competition standards, but to protect and maintain it in years to come. Speaking in UCD Connections (a UCD alumni magazine), O’Keefe branded it a “legacy project [which is] critical to the new master plan.”

This far-seeing approach also reflects the ethos behind the original track. It was opened in 1977, as the first of its kind in Ireland, and survived until the fateful closure in 2011, with the cited health and safety concerns scoffed at by many, who felt that the track was merely suffering from “wear and tear” and was wanting only in investment.

According to both Hayes and UCD Student Services planning permission has been lodged (ahead of schedule), and is currently awaiting approval. After some doubt over its new location, due to UCD’s development of a new master plan for Sport and Recreation, Hayes adds that the track is “to be located in Richview carpark,”with O’Keefe hopeful that the first earth will be turned in early spring. The University is “confident” that the track will be completed for summer 2020.

However, the Athletics club, obviously keen to avoid getting caught up in the euphoria, sounded a note of caution. “They hope to get the track up by 2020, but that is subject to everything going perfectly right. As we found out in October, there are many engineering and architectural issues that have to be addressed.”

“Hopefully I will get to see these foundations before I graduate in September!” Although Hayes may not get her wish, it is plain that the track’s rebuilding will be of huge benefit to future athletes and students, many of whom will have been discouraged in recent years at the lack of facilities. Hayes is hoping that “the track will bring more members to the club, especially sprinters and throwers, as they have been the ones who have been hit hardest without the track.”

The new track has been a long, and doubt-ridden time in the coming. However, there is one thing for certain: with such a generous donation, and with athletes determined to see the project through, it will be a long time in the giving back. It will be a long time in helping UCD and Irish athletics reach new heights.

Club Focus: Bounce into the New Year with UCD Trampoline Club Rory Clarke chats to the hugely successful UCD Trampoline Club, meeting the people behind the bouncing backflips.

In recent months the UCD Trampoline Club has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. However, despite being embroiled in an equipment controversy with their internal gymnastics wing, the good work of the club continues. Since being founded by Andrew Cahill in 1991, the club has, for more than 25 years, promoted the art of “bouncing up and down, with a flip here and there”.

Although Public Relations Officer CJ Clarke admits that this streamlined summary is “in part...correct” she is understandably keen to promote the sport’s stellar history.

“Trampoline is a discipline of gymnastics and has been an Olympic sport since 2000 in Sydney. [It’s] a really enjoyable and unique sport that can be as fun/competitive as you want it to be.”

As we begin Semester 2, Clarke encourages everyone to come down and give trampoline a bounce or two, especially any freshers who fear they may have missed the boat in Semester 1 for whatever reason. “The best thing about trampoline is that just about anyone can take part, even if you have absolutely zero experience!

Our qualified coaches are on hand to help anyone and everyone accomplish their trampoline goals, whether it’s finally learning to land a somersault, or to compete a routine in front of a panel of judges for the first time.”

Many people’s experience of trampoline is limited to small, domestic incarnations, which in itself limits their opinions of the sport. Certainly, it is incomparable to the real thing.

Clarke herself became involved in the club having “tried out an olympic trampoline in secondary school - it was super fun!” Reputed for friendly faces, qualified coaches and worthwhile weekends away, if you have any interest in trampolining, this may the best place to finally indulge them.

Earlier this academic year, the club competed (and excelled) in the Trampolining Intervarsities, held in University College Cork. Their haul came to 6 medals and was an outstanding testament to the hard work put in by their coaches and members alike.

Semester 2 is also the time where the competitions are coming thick and fast for the club. Their planned exploits between now and May include a trip to Edinburgh for the annual Scottish Student Trampoline Open, a Colours match fueled by a desire for revenge and competing in the Irish Student Trampoline Open - the largest student run trampoline competition in Europe - in Belfast, in April.

It is the lattermost of these which Clarke highlights as being among her highlights during the year. Although the

event is a serious competition and is treated as such, each year “there is a chosen charity, which clubs must raise as much money as possible. For the last two years, UCDTC has won the ISTO Charity Cup, meaning that we had

“Many people’s experience of trampoline is limited to small, domestic incarnations, which in itself limits their opinions of the sport.” donated the most amount of money to the chosen charity.

Winning the cup is a great achievement, but raising a load of money for causes such as Pieta House and Temple Street Children’s Hospital, is the best part of it all. This year the charity is the Dublin Simon Community, and we will be making as much effort as possible to raise money for such a wonderful cause.”

In the run up to these competitions, the club’s regular training sessions (Tuesday 8pm-10pm and Thursday 5pm-7pm) are supplemented by further sessions to help hopefuls hone their moves, “coaches do their best to help members perfect their current moves in preparation for competitions”. The structure of competitions is, as Clarke explains, ideally suited to new members looking to consistently improve. “Members must complete a routine comprising of 10 different skills, depending on the level they compete. After competitions are over, members may work on new skills to help them move up a level!” This ladder type system facilitates development and allows members to maintain a high level of control over their own progress.

Clarke’s parting pitch is most impressive. I am modestly informed that, “for the last two years” UCDTC has been named “Varsity Club of the Year” at the annual UCD Sports Awards, an unbelievable achievement and one which they are rightly proud of. If all of this sounds like your sort of thing, or you’re just really sick of not being able to do a somersault, head down to the Sports Centre for Refreshers Day and sign yourself up!

Sports shorts Odhran McDonnell

McAteer rolls back the years

Quidditch is fictional, right?

Former Irish international footballer Jason McAteer grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons at the recent Star Sixes legends tournament in Glasgow. While he played an instrumental role in the performances of a star-studded Irish line up featuring Phil Babb, Ian Harte and Lee Carsley (apparently a legend), McAteer let his frustrations boil over when he kicked out at Michael Owen in retaliation to some cynical play from the Englishman. The referee sent him off for his troubles while Owen was only shown a yellow card, much to the frustration of most of the stadium. When asked about why Owen had not been sent off, McAteer didn’t hold back: “because it’s Michael Owen and it’s England.”

England went on to win the final 3-2 against a Rest of the World team with Owen netting the winning goal.

Well, not exclusively. The primary sport of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series has been developed into a competitive sport which is played at international level. Potter enthusiasts have formed a real-life version of Rowling’s creation which has been described as a “mix of handball, rugby and dodgeball”. The golden snitch is a tennis ball in a sock attached to the back of the shorts of a designated ‘snitch runner’, while the quaffle is represented by a volleyball. The seven players must hold a broom stick between their legs, which limits them to one hand with which to play the game. The Irish Quidditch Cup was recently held in Trinity College, with Dublin based team Draíochta Dragons earning qualification to the European Quidditch Cup, the Champions League equivalent of quidditch.

Lampard left fuming by ‘Spygate’ In a strange turn of events, Derby County had their training session halted by a police intervention in the build up to their crucial clash with Championship table toppers Leeds United. A mysterious man was removed from the training ground on suspicion of spying. Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa claimed responsibility for the event, stressing that spying is not illegal, and that he had always sent coaches to watch opposition training sessions during his time as Argentina national coach. The disruption appeared to get the better of Derby manager Frank Lampard, who seemed emotionally charged in his pre-match interview. “I don’t care if it is cultural, I am not buying it,” he moaned.

Interestingly, the operation proved to be massively effective as Leeds ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.

A year of sporting gaffes Shane Ross has divided opinion throughout his term as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, but one consistency of his actions in 2018 was his lack of attention to detail when addressing our sporting heroes.

Following the Grand Slam success of the Irish rugby team, he referred to Rob Kearney as Dave (his brother) in a tweet. At least Kearney saw the funny side of Ross’ incompetence, replying: “you’re welcome, Leo.” He also issued a statement congratulating World Rowing Champion ‘Dominant Puspure’, omitting her first name (Sanita), or possibly even thinking her name was Dominant. Here’s to Ross honouring Jack Schmidt when Ireland win the Rugby World Cup in 2019…

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SPORT The refereeing rollercoaster Rory Clarke interviewed four referees in Ireland, across four different sports, to discover how they feel taken for granted, appreciated and enthusiastic - depending on the day.

It is fair to say that Sean Gallagher has had a prophetic rise as a referee. Since being thrown in (reluctantly) to referee

“Having started out as a secondary school teacher before becoming a full-time professional, Gallagher clearly revels in escaping out from behind his desk.” a match in Navan Rugby Club 14 years ago - when the actual referee’s car broke down - the former UCD student has gone from strength to strength.

He has worked at some of the game’s most illustrious tournaments, including the Sevens World Cup in 2013 and the Women’s World Cup in 2017. Now the IRFU Provincial Referee Development Manager in Leinster, Gallagher assists the Association of Referees Leinster Branch (ARLB), “at all levels of the game...in managing and educating their members”. This ranges from organising workshops for “new referees who are just beginning their careers to coaching IRFU National Panel referees.”

Gallagher is the contact point for new referees and waxes lyrical about the process, which begins with the New Referees Course. A one day event which “covers the basics of refereeing,” this course is followed up “by four technical workshops on the key areas of the game”. New recruits initially officiate in age-grade matches, operating in a support network which includes experienced mentors.

Having started out as a secondary school teacher before becoming a fulltime professional, Gallagher clearly revels in escaping out from behind his desk. His typical week depends completely on the time of the season. For example, in the week I spoke to him, he refereed Scarlets v Southern Kings, reviewed that match and the other Guinness Pro 14 games that took place, flew to Paris to prepare for the Champions and Challenge Cups and ran touch for a match in Belfast. It’s not all glamour and witty comments á la Nigel Owens!

There is little surprise therefore For Thomas Gleeson, a talented kid who grew up in Dublin’s inner city, it was clear from the very start that he was destined for a career in the GAA. However, when he won an AllIreland hurling skills competition in Croke Park at a tender age, few would have been surprised to see him return to the Dublin venue as a player, rather than a referee.

Having been plucked from this illustrious setting by Naomh Fionnbarra in Cabra, Gleeson played from U10’s right up to senior level. However, despite his burgeoning playing career it is also clear he harboured other ambitions. Aged 14 he took up an offer to do the Go Games refereeing course - “since then, I’ve never looked back!”.

He has accomplished several milestones in a career which he (modestly) admits has progressed “fairly fast”. Starting with Go Games, the upward trajectory of his career has been unfaltering. Moving first to 13-16s, then to senior level, then to Dublin & Leinster, Gleeson was recently appointed to the National Hurling panel, “a big achievement” for any referee. He has refereed the Leinster Junior Hurling Final and was linesman for Kilkenny/Waterford AHL1A clash in Walsh park last year.

For him, there are few better feelings than walking out in a “stadium at full capacity - you just get this shiver right through your body”.

According to Gleeson, the increased polarisation and conflict between referees and players/managers can be, in part, attributed to a lack of communication, it “is the most important part of [the] referee’s job”. During the game “it’s really important that you talk to the players…

“It would in a way affect you. You can’t just leave your problems on the line [the] same as players can’t either” especially when you give frees, why? You gave the free.

The first reaction of a player when you blow the whistle is to challenge your decision, once you explain to him why you blew, they will, on most occasions be fine with [it], others might not be but that’s life.”

Gleeson is eulogic in recommending refereeing,

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that the training regime of referees has had to adapt to this hectic schedule. In fact, the referee’s training seems to nearly mirror that of the players they’re supervising!

Gallagher has access to a strength and conditioning coach who monitors his fitness. He trains “every morning and usually does two weights sessions in the gym, one speed session on the pitch and a high intensity running session each week.” He explains that there’s more to it than physical fitness however, “referees need to make accurate decisions, in high pressure situations, under fatigue. The game is faster than ever” and they need to be able to keep up.

The Meath man acknowledges that, unlike in some of our other interviewed sports, “a lot of respect is given to our match officials.” The strict rules which facilitate the polite, in-law type conversations between players and referees are complemented by a practice in recent years where “professional teams have a referee at their training sessions to assist with improving discipline.” This is a twoway relationship which “allows the referees to gain a better insight of what the teams are trying to achieve, and in turn gives the teams a better understanding of what the referees expect during matches”.

Gallagher heartily recommends anyone who has an interest in refereeing to “just give it a go” - much as he did all those years ago.

starting with “young lads in my club [who] know how far I’ve got and have [started] taking the whistle up, which is great to see.” Experienced, former players often make for good referees, “people who have played the game would have a good understanding of game and that would really benefit them”. He adds - with a casualness belying its heartfeltness - that refereeing is “for someone who is finishing their career, a nice way to give back to the GAA.” The life of a referee is not all plain sailing however, which Gleeson makes clear. The “worst moment has to be when you know you have a made a mistake [which] might cost a team. You can’t change your decision, you can’t even it up, you just have to continue and try get everything right for the remainder of the game.”

Asked if his experiences affect him even after crossing the white line, he makes an important point, “It would in a way affect you. You can’t just leave your problems on the line - [the] same as players can’t either.” However, it does not do to dwell on past days (good or bad), “you just have to move onto the next game.”

Gleeson concludes that for “anyone who takes up the whistle it will be a different experience, but a great one.”

There are many disciplines and skills which run in families. Families of doctors, lawyers and builders are commonplace. However, some things, like refereeing, generally don’t follow this pattern. Fintan Pierce, a Gaelic

“referees work just as hard as players and I feel that it is taken for granted that they don’t do a thing and just show up” Football referee from Offaly, is an exception.

Acting as an umpire for his father - himself a referee allowed the midlands man to “understand the rules of the game better” and realise that it was something that he’d like to try out.

Novice referees start with younger age groups and move from there in line with their own development. Pierce explains that this experience was particularly valuable for him as it “took a while to get used to seeing the game from a different perspective than a player would.” Seeing “both sides of the game” is essential for referees, but completely alien to players.

This early period

Rob Argent, the last referee we spoke to in this series, has been brought up refereeing (or umpiring) not only in a different sport, but in a different country.

The manner in which he took up the whistle is however, quite familiar - particularly to anyone who has completed/ contemplated TY in Ireland. His passion for umpiring became apparent when he was completing the ‘Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’ in the UK (equivalent of Gaisce) and “had to find a skill.”. Looking down the list “the only thing that stood out was sport officiating”.

He wryly admits that there was another reason for his ambition; “I was probably not the best behaved player (I’m sure older umpires will agree) and I thought I could do a better job than some of those umpires in my low level playing league.”

The 30 year-old, currently studying for his PhD in UCD, agrees that although “you have to be a certain type of person to really enjoy umpiring” he would “definitely” recommend everyone involved in sport to just “give it a go”. Aside from making him a “better player than when I first started”, umpiring has the potential to be an extremely social activity. Some of Argent’s closest friends are umpiring colleagues, with the best moments including “travelling around with your friends and being involved in/having the best seat in the house for some top quality

allows younger referees to “get familiar with the rules and develop [their] own style and routines”.

From there, those who have impressed begin to be appointed to more and more adult games. Pierce recalls moving through the “lower league levels and championship grades” which were important to “get noticed”. 2016 was a key year for him, as he was nominated to the Leinster inter-county development panel. This was all the more impressive for the tender age at which it was achieved; 21. Apart from overseeing bigger championship games in Offaly, this appointment allowed him to engage in debates, in refereeing circles “on the rules that cause the most controversy” - notably the opinion-polarising black card.

His career, running concurrently with his studies at IT Carlow, has hit even greater heights in recent years. He explains the significance of his appointment to the Senior Football Championship Final in “his own county” in October last year. “It’s the game that all referees want to get, and it’s been a goal of mine since I started to referee.”

He now regularly oversees Senior A matches and, as part of the National Referees Support Panel, works the line for National League games.

Pierce, like many young referees, has faced challenges exacerbated by his youth. He agrees that “older players especially - when they see a young referee - try to make them change their mind and get up close and personal with them. It can be very intimidating at first but as I’ve become more experienced I have learned how to deal with it.”

Although a powerful advocate for refereeing he maintains that referees can be taken for granted in the GAA, “referees work just as hard as players and I feel that it is taken for granted that they don’t do a thing and just show up.

People forget that referees are human too and can make mistakes. For example, when a player makes a mistake they are encouraged and told to try again but the opposite happens with a referee. When a referee makes a mistake, they are slated and abused.

Everyone has their off days. People need to remember that without a referee there can be no match. There have been many incidents recently where referees have been assaulted after matches [including an alleged assault on former All-Ireland final referee, Fergal Horgan after this year’s Kerry Senior Championship Hurling Final] which is unacceptable.”

For those who can’t, or choose not to be involved in GAA as a player or coach, Pierce believes that refereeing represents unique opportunities which, he for one, has grabbed with both hands.

hockey matches.”

Argent agrees that the “worst moments are when you make a mistake. No umpire at a decent level needs to be told when they’ve got something wrong, they tend to know for themselves.” As with players, when umpires are disappointed with their performance it can “transfer into [their] mood... but it’s a natural part of the job and you just have to keep working to be better.”

On the subject of intimidation of match officials, he emphasises that it’s a term which must not go undefined: “You have to accept that there will be certain individuals in the heat of the moment that can’t control their emotions and may shout or disrespect you.

That is par for the course when you put yourself in the role – it is important not to see that as personal intimidation.” That being said, he acknowledges that there “are always times when people can overstep the mark in the heat of the match.”

Umpires are, in his opinion, sometimes taken for granted, “I don’t think players and coaches consider the time and effort umpires put in to try to be at their

“The worst moments are when you make a mistake. No umpire at a decent level needs to be told when they’ve got something wrong, they tend to know for themselves.” best. There’s just an expectation that you’re there to do a job.” He highlights the oft competitive nature of their work,“perhaps they don’t realise that umpires are also competing for the best games and striving for their best performance.” Umpires cannot be expected to be, perfect, just as no player and manager can be expected to be 10/10 every week. “Sometimes even a thank you or an offer of a drink after the game is enough, rather than a moan about how they perceive one ‘mistake’ has cost a result, rather than the numerous mistakes their team has made.”