College Tribune - Issue 8

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NEWS

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Leading Irish doctor “astonished" with UCD facilities

February 20th

● Sexual health expert “astonished" at absence of STI testing for UCD students ● Welfare Officer states possibility of added facilities in UCD locality Editor Colin Gleeson Deputy Editor Simon Ward Design Editors Simon Ward & Tara Phelan Sports Editor Ben Blake Features Editor Matthew Parkinson Bennett Health & Fashion Editor Caitrina Cody Arts Editor Barra O Fianail Music Editor Hugh Fowler Contributors: Lorcan Archer, Antony Imbrogno, Paul Dillon, Philip Connolly, Jordan Daly, Jack Horgan Jones, Orla Kenny, Clare Spelman, Mark Walsh, Ronan Dempsey, Stueart Alexander, Morgan Sheehy, Conor Tanam, Conor Doyle, Linda O'Halloran, Darragh O'Donoghue, Zoe Faulkner, Bernadette Scott, Stephen Humphries, Cian Taffe, Frank Clune, Eoin Delap

Special Thanks To: Gary, Stephen & Billy @ Spectator Newspapers, Eilis O'Brien, Dominic Martella, A&B, God.

Contact Us: E: collegetribune@gmail.com T: 01-7168501, LG 18, Newman Building Box 74, Student Centre, Belfield, D4.

Caitrina Cody The College Tribune has learned that a leading sexual health specialist, Dr Derek Freedman was “astonished” to learn that UCD does not have on-campus facilities for STI screening.

Welfare Officer Barry Colfer discussed the issue with Freedman during his visit to UCD last week and has declared his frustration with the lack of options for UCD students.

“The situation now is that if you go to the health center in UCD they will advise you to go to the STI clinic in St James. It can be very difficult to get there during the hours that the clinic is open especially if you have lectures or something to contend with. You have to be there before 7am and even then you are not guaranteed to be seen.”

Colfer has explained that he hopes that new options will be available for students in the near future outside of the UCD campus.

“I envision a morning a week in a clinic somewhere in Dublin that will be set aside for UCD students. There are currently clinics operating in Ranelagh and Donnybrook, areas that are more easily accessible to students during the week.

“The setup that I am now pursuing is to see which doctors in the South Dublin area would be prepared to run a clinic every week, specifically for

Derek Freedman: Unimpressed with UCD's facilities

UCD students and preferably at a subsidised rate.”

He went on to outline his hopes that these added resources will encourage college students with busy schedules to consider their sexual health and be tested. The fact that there are options in the locality for them available at a subsidised cost would provide the motivation that is sorely lacking today.

The recent results of the College Tribune survey show that only 15% of students have been tested for STIs while 39% have had unprotected sex. The figures indicate that there is a need for accessible

STI screening facilities.

Colfer explains, “The big issues facing the UCD health center at the moment are space and resources - financial resources and people resources.

They don’t actually have the space to conduct the business they want to conduct.”

A new Students’ Union Centre is planned for 2009 and college authorities say new and improved health facilities are included in the plans.

However these plans do nothing to solve the current need for a solution.

Colfer feels positive that changes will happen.

“There’s lot of people in the business, even in the UCD health center, who realise how important this is. In the medical sphere there are people who are interested and hopefully willing to make this happen.”

Freedman, a famous Irish doctor in the field of sexual health was in UCD on Thursday to give a lecture about the issues surrounding STIs. He said, “Delays in accessing treatment are extremely significant because it means the infection is left untreated in the community, increasing the risk of transmission.”

Meanwhile Colfer sums up the current situation, “That’s where we are now anyway. This area is one of my real passions and one of my real interests, something that I would love to see happening in UCD, over the next short while.”

Third candidate pulls Triboku out of SU election race

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● Candidate drops out of Welfare race ● SU President Dan Hayden describes situation as “unfortunate"

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A third candidate dropped out of the running in the Students’ Union Sabbatical Elections last Wednesday.

Colm Byrne has dropped out of the race for Welfare Officer, joining Ents candidate Eoghan O’Duinn and Deputy-President candidate Chris Bond who have also withdrawn in recent weeks.

This will be the first time in recent years that the presidential candidate will run uncontested. As will the be the case in the Deputy President race.

SU President Dan Hayden declared regarding the situation, “I think it’s unfortunate. What everyone always wants is to see a competitive election, contested elections. They’re much more fun.”

Current Welfare Officer Barry Colfer is the only candidate for the SU presidency this year, with Ciara Brennan as the sole candidate for Deputy President. “Both Barry and Ciara are very strong candidates, with a wealth of experience, particularly Barry. I would see the fact that the presidency is uncontested as a vote of confidence for him.”

When asked if these recent developements will impact negatively on the election, Hayden was dismissive. “Its easy to look at it from the outside and say that its a bad thing but in reality its a big commitment. People have to think about practical matters when their thinking about running. Each of those people have different circumstances that led them to drop out.

“It is easy to infer that this shows a lack of interest in the Student Union but essentially what you

have are real people who wanted to commit but in the end simply weren’t able to. I know these people and I could give you their individual stories but that’s not what’s important, what’s important is the people who are running now.

“The race for welfare and education and entertainment is healthily competitve this year and we’ve had a good few years of competitive elections in the past.”

“We’d obviously like to see more people running and we try to encourage as many people to nominate themselves as possible. Again it’s a big decision to make and as someone who took two years out, I can tell you that its not to be taken lightly.”

Union of Students in Ireland (USI) President Colin Hamrogue remains optimistic about the UCD sabbatical elections.

“I don’t think the withdrawals will have a nega-

Colm Byrne (left) and USI President Colin Hamrogue

tive impact on the elections. I know Barry is running for president and I know he’s been a very strong welfare officer this year and I am sure that he will continue his good work as president.

“I ran uncontested the second year I ran for election in Sligo and it didn’t have any effect on my work. I still worked hard and did my job.

Hamrogue emphasises the level of hard work involved in Student Union, “Being a sabbatical officer is a very hard job. There are many misconceptions about it; serving is actually an extremely hard job. It can be a very thankless job sometimes.

“It’s not like USI. As a sabbatical officer, you normally work twelve to fourteen hours a day for five or six days a week. It’s a huge commitment to give to a job. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy and I love it.

NEWS

College Tribune 20th February 2007

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Lacey speaks out against UCD again ● UCD plan to sell the Thornfield Area of Belfield to private developer ● Residents unhappy about proposed high buildings behind their homes Former Mayor of Dublin and Dublin City Councilor Dermot Lacey has once again spoken out against UCD development plans.

UCD plans to sell the Thornfield Area of Belfield, subject to a deal between the UCD Authorities and a private developer called Pamarette Limited.

Developments planned for the area a little over five hectares wide include buildings seven stories high which will tower over the houses belonging to the residents of Beech Hill and Airfield.

At present, there is no pedestrian entrance from Beech Hill into Belfield. This situation is to remain unchanged according to the new plans. Students in Beech Hill have expressed anger in this regard, one declaring, “We have a right to gain access to our college. This snobbish discrimination should not be tolerated.”

The previous set of plans submitted to the Council for planning permission included 475 units (ie. Apartments, offices etc), with the highest blocks being eight stories high. However, the plans were rejected. These plans did not include a pedestrian entrance from Beech Hill.

The new plans to be submitted in-

Colin Gleeson clude 362 units and the highest building will be seven stories high, and again, don’t include any pedestrian entrance for the people of Beech Hill.

Speaking about the initial plans at the time, Lacey declared that they exposed “an appalling lack of courtesy and manners” from College authorities.

He went on to say that the residents learned of the proposals by accident, adding that he plans to “fight this imposition every step of the way.” He described the development as “massive and unwanted.”

He also stated his belief that the project “should be rejected” and “brought back to the drawing board.”

He reiterated this in a public statement, where he said, “the new UCD President and Governing Authority has obviously forgotten the simple principle of being a good neighbour.”

Residents in the area have been angered by the fact that no pre-consultation took place between the developers and the people in the section of houses backing on to the proposed development.

Angered: Counciller Dermot Lacey is not happy with UCD's plans

They believe that the quality of life that both the people of Beech Hill and Airfield have had for over 50 years will now be

diminished by the proposed three to four storey apartments that will tower over their back gardens.

One resident declared, “The developer’s drive for maximum profit has pushed the proposed apartments as close as possible to the existing back gardens of our homes.

The noise and disturbance of the ridiculously large construction that could take anything up to ten years will have to be endured by the people of Airfield and Beech Hill, some of whom are elderly here and have lived here for the largest portion of their lives.

The amount of traffic that will be generated on Beaver Row/Beech Hill road is unacceptable as there is only one entrance in and out of the Beech Hill estate and at the moment, the amount of time it takes for the residents to leave the estate during rush hour is horrendous.

Students are also upset with the decision, one declaring, “There was no adequate dialogue on the subject of selling a part of our campus to a private developer between the college authorities and students.”

Councilor Dermot Lacey will speak in UCD tomorrow regarding the developments.

4 NEWS

Grant system will be "more efficent" Continued from page one New legislation under the Student Support Bill will come before the Dail this summer and will change the way that student grant applications are processed.

Although the system will probably not be in place by September 2007, the Department of Education has stated that to increase effiencey; all grant forms, figures and dates will be available from March of this year.

Students' Union Education Officer Brian Doyle declared, “Before now, this information hasn't been available until during the summer.

This bill will mark a significant advancement on the current situation.

“It also means that County Councils won't be able to give us the usual replies, that they don't know what the situation is or that they don't have the relevant information."

The legislation proposes to allow students to apply for grants at the same time as they apply to the CAO. They must then submit the form to their local authority before the usual closing date of August 31st.

“Hopefully under the Student Support Bill there will be an earlier closing date," Doyle continues, “and this will mean that if anyone sends their form in late they'll still have a very good chance of getting their grant money anyway."

These new developements reflect a greater focus on the needs of UCD students after they were branded “stupid, spoilt, fucking rich rotten students who don't deserve fuck all" at a protest calling for the centralisation of student grants last year.

The protest, held at the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in January 2006 was attended by the then SU President James Carroll and the then SU Education Officer Jane Horgan-Jones. The gathered protesters were lobbying for a centralised grant system and increased grant payments.

Horgan-Jones summarised the existing problem by asking “Why do all the grants have to come in, in dribs and drabs? Why can't it all be done at once?"

Students with rent to pay are suffering under the current situation and find it difficult to cope with the expense of food and books.

Horgan-Jones notes, “At this time of year, one in every four students who knocks on my door is enquiring about their grant.

Students present at last year's protest are happy that some longawaited changes are finally taking shape.

Doyle is enthusiastic about the new legislation and believes that it will make everyone's life easier. He emphasised that the sooner it was brought to the government's attention the better.

“I'd urge the government to try to get the new Student Support Bill before the Dail before the summer. The fact that the date has been brought forward to March is very significant and should make it possible for relevant information to be available and prevent any late payment of grants."

Editorial: Page Seven

College Tribune 20th February 2007

A question of priorities ● Concern at lack of developments in disability access on campus ● Simple improvements remain uncompleted

UCDSU Disability Rights Officer Jean Daly: Wheelchair basketball Division 2 Player of the Year

The failure of college authorities to make any improvements in disability access on the UCD campus has been branded as “insulting” by Students’ Union Welfare Officer Barry Colfer.

In a series of articles over the past year, the College Tribune has helped to highlight a marked deficiency in key buildings in UCD, but to date, no improvement has occurred.

An action group has been established which includes Students’ Union Disability Rights Officer Jean Daly. According to this group, the main obstacle to improving disability access appears to be a lack of funds to carry out the changes.

“Cost is the issue” affirms Daly, “It’s very hard to gain any progress on the issue when we have to fight for everything.” The action group had been led in the past by Mary Clayton, but now Martin Butler has stepped in.

“Nothing has happened as of yet, but during the last two weeks, we have had many talks involving the HEA. Its not easy but we’re going to keep at it.”

The issues at top priority for those lobbying for improvements would include the easier access to key buildings such as the Administration Building and the Engineering Block.

Other issues, such as even the simple inclusion of a buzzer for Wheelchair-using students in the Sports Centre have not yet been resolved. Despite the growing popularity of wheelchair based sports in the Centre such as Wheelchair Basketball and Tennis, the actual accessibility for the students remains of low priority.

“Its ridiculous” continues Daly “Even something as simple as the pavements around UCD can be dangerous. The cobbles in the pavement are lifted and in need of repair, which can posed a real danger to blind people.

“We are still being told that it’s all about the finances and that there is no money there for all this, but we’re going to keep it up.” The action group continue their discussion in the coming weeks.

The College Tribune spoke to SU Welfare Of-

Lorcan Archer ficer Barry Colfer about the unfortunate situation and he emphasised that changes needed to be made. “I’ve made an effort to highlight the different black spots around. We’ve been focusing on the blackest spots around campus including engineering and using the Quinn building as a good example of what facilities should be available.

“I’ve been in contact with college authorities to let them know what the major issues are. They’ve been highlighted and advertised but the problems haven’t been addressed.

“To my knowledge nothing has been done. Cost is always as issue but ultimately it’s a question of prioritising. The money is definitely there.

“I certainly think that making the academic buildings accessible to every student should be the number one priority of the college but unfortunately it isn’t.

“Jean highlighted things that I wouldn’t have been conscious of, things like potholes and uneven surfaces. Jean is fit and healthy, very ablebodied but someone who is less able-bodied would find it very difficult to get around campus.

“Certain buildings are utterly inaccessible, the tutorial areas in Roebuck for example.

That area will cost a lot of money; it’s a matter of infrastructure. But if you’re talking about putting in a lift, putting in a doorbell or resurfacing a patch of broken concrete, I’m not happy to accept that cost should be an issue there because that should be a priority.”

He is unaware of any plans in the pipeline to make these urgent changes.

“UCD is the only college to have a Wheelchair Basketball team in the country and there is huge activity among wheelchair-bound students. Its insulting that people like Jean have put such efforts into the Wheelchair Basketball team and other aspects of college life and that these efforts aren’t even taken seriously by the UCD authorities.”

Through the roof ● Money spent on President's lodge over double original estimate ● Academics and SU “shocked" and “angry" UCD spent more than €3m on the refurbishment of President Hugh Brady’s house in 2004, double original estimates, according to sources at the college.

The vast amount of money spent on the presidential lodge back in August 2004 was at the time thought to be in the region of €1.5m, but new information obtained suggests that the total spend for Brady’s makeover of the house was closer to €3.5m.

Students’ Union President Dan Hayden declared on hearing the news, “It’s a sad day that such money can be made available for such grand projects at a time when the student grant remains so poor. It’s another indication of ‘slap on the back’ Ireland and we should be trying to use our resources to tackle the worst difficulties first.”

There were also several senior academics who are said to have reacted to the news of the spend with “deep shock” and

Colin Gleeson “anger”, as it coincides with the request for a major pay hike for the heads of all the universities, while the college’s staff have been refused a three per cent increase.

Officially, the college declared that the money spent was nowhere near €3m, but said that in addition to the cost of renovation, the area on campus around the lodge had been redeployed which had an impact on the lodge’s grounds.

A spokesperson for the college explained, “Before the president took up residence in August 2004, there was an amount of approximately €1.5m set aside to refurbish the interior of the building.”

At the time of taking up his current post, Brady had been accused by some senior members of the college of demanding the major overhaul on the lodge, which is a listed building, before moving his family in.

Hugh Brady: At home

However, the college denied this.

“The building had had no significant investment for 20-30 years and, being a listed building, was in need of upgrading and refurbishment. The incoming president agreed to a request by the buildings office to delay taking up occupancy to enable the internal works to be completed,” the spokesperson added.

In addition to the interior refurbishment, back in 2002 UCD set aside €1.5m for “essential works such as roofing and sewage” in the area of University Lodge ahead of the change in occupancy.

Also, since 2004, UCD purchased the adjoining Philips site and as a result, the area at the rear of University Lodge was redeveloped as playing pitches. The gardens were relocated to the side of the property and restored, according to the college.

Construction on the lodge was put out to public tender and the Dublin-based company Collen was awarded the project.

Martin Glynn, spokesman for the company, said in 2004: “It was an extensive job, but a very necessary one. Although a lot of the work was slow and tedious, it was well worth doing, and we are almost finished. It is my opinion that, had the work not been carried out, the house would have fallen into disrepair.”

OPINION

Why the nuclear debate is necessary

Eoin Mac Aodha’s article in the College Tribune a fortnight ago on nuclear energy raised both good and alarming points, but a rebuttal is necessary, writes Anthony Imbrogno There is no doubt that renewable energy must be part of the solution to climate change. Of most concern however, is Eoin Mac Aodha’s contention that debating the nuclear option is “an attempt to morally legitimise something that really should not be legitimised.”

Without diving into the realm of moral philosophy, it should be noted that those persons reading this paper today will be the same persons who will make the decisions that effect Ireland’s long-term energy policy, not simply as voters, but as ministers, public servants and business executives; all of whom will be involved in finding the right energy mix for Ireland.

Debating the issue is thus essential if we are to begin to ponder the hard decisions that we will be asked to make in the near future. It is the act of debating itself that leads each of us to make our own conclusions about what is or is not legitimate. So let the debate begin.

The contention that nuclear energy is not a viable option for Ireland should not be made lightly. Indeed, energy security is a rising concern, not simply because of the turmoil in the Middle East, but also because of the recent actions of the Russian government.

Fanciful scenarios regarding our energy security, namely, that we are in imminent danger from the actions of a foreign government that could plunge the country into darkness, are merely scare tactics that should rightfully be disregarded. In reality, energy security is not the most important challenge that Ireland faces in the 21st century.

The real reason for considering the nuclear option is because of climate change. Former US vice president Al Gore’s recent documentary about climate change reminded us of the greatest challenge ever faced by modern civilisation, which our generation will be at the forefront in combating. Eoin Mac Aodha’s article raised this concern, but then dismissed nuclear energy as a possible option because “as an island state, we enjoy obvious advantages, in particular the utilisation of wind farms.” The numbers dispute this.

According to the OECD, Ireland’s consumption in 2005 was equivalent to 11.67 million tonnes of oil. In that same year, Ireland produced only 260 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent in renewable energy.

Considering that renewable energy production in Ireland experienced a growth rate of 64% between 1993 and 2003, it would take decades, even at faster growth rates, for renewable energy production alone to satisfy Ireland’s current demand. And of course there is the problem of meeting future demand, which is projected to reach 20 million tonnes of oil equivalent by 2020.

Without getting mired in more statistics, the reality is that renewable energy, at best, can only compliment other sources of energy that are capable of both meeting current demand and keeping up with the growth in energy consumption. This new energy mix must focus on reducing not just the growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions, but on reducing the actual amount of carbon dioxide that Ireland emits.

The only way to do this is by replacing fossil fuels as Ireland’s primary source of energy. This is the greatest challenge facing the development of any new energy strategy, since, according to Sustainable Energy Ireland, 96% of all energy used in Ireland comes from fossil fuels.

Renewable energy simply is not capable of fully replacing fossil fuels as a source of energy, save for stunning breakthroughs in renewable energy and energy-saving technologies coupled with a drastic reduction in overall consumption.

But the threat of climate change will not wait for large changes in technology or society. We must act now. Yet, cutting CO2 emissions and meeting demand are not necessarily mutually exclusive goals if one considers the nuclear option. The nuclear technology of the 21st century is clean, safe and efficient.

This is not to say that nuclear power is a miracle solution to the climate change problem. The only way to determine if nuclear energy can help solve our current predicament is to engage in the debate that Eoin Mac Aodha wants to stop. Saving our civilisation from itself requires us to find solutions, of which the first step involves discussion and debate.

Anthony Imbrogno holds a BComm in finance & a first class honours BA in Political Science

Charlie Donnelly deserves to be remembered Paul Dillon remembers the life of Charlie Donnelly, and asks for a monument in his honour Before Christmas, veteran student activist Enda Duffy brought a motion before the Students’ Union council calling for a monument to be erected to UCD alumni member and Spanish Civil war hero Charlie Donnelly.

The motion was rejected and the Union missed an opportunity to pay tribute to a man that did much that ought to be remembered and that as UCD Students today, we can be proud of.

Charlie Donnelly came into the world in July 1914. He was born just outside Dungannon in county Tyrone into a wealthy family. The Donnelly’s moved to Dundalk and later, when Charlie was 14, to Dublin.

It was the experience of getting to know the people in the crumbling tenements of Gardiner Street and North Richmond street - close to the Donnelly’s substantial family home in Mountjoy square - which moulded young Charlie’s political views. It was around this time that Donnelly and his landlord father began to clash on political questions.

Joseph O’Connor, who wrote the defining account of Charlie Donnelly’s life ‘Even the Olives are bleeding’ describes the Ireland of the 1920s as society that had “abandoned its egalitarian ideal in favour of a forlorn confessional state”.

Dissent was not looked kindly upon - radical political groups were pro-scribed and censorship was the order of the day.

Donnelly became involved with the Republicans and Socialist who bore the brunt of the repressive atmosphere.

Donnelly entered UCD in October of 1931 and enrolled for an Arts degree. He began to develop his skills as writer, philosopher and poet, as well as deepening his political understanding through his study of Socialist and Republican texts.

He immersed himself in what later became known as student activism. Student politics in UCD then as now was divided between the politically progressive and the conservative.

The students conservatives of the day were more clearly recognisable than the student conservatives of today, whose views or often cloaked in false claims that they are ‘non-political’, powerless to do anything, unable to deal with “divisive” issues or are too busy concentrating on student issues to recognise that the student movement can be a real political force in its own right outside the walls of UCD. The student conservatives of the day were close to or openly fascist and often involved in the Blueshirt movement. There were clashes between such groups and the leftist movements Charlie Donnelly was involved in, such as the Student Vanguard.

He encountered hard times upon leaving UCD in 1934. He was arrested and imprisoned for political activity in July 1934 and reportedly asked to leave the family home when he returned from a two-week stint in jail.

Poor, often homeless and hungry, Donnelly continued with his writing and political work. He deepened his involvement in the radical Republican Congress and developed an intimate relationship with another member of that group, Cora Hughes.

He emigrated to London in February 1935 and stayed there until December 1936.

His political interests began to diversifyhe studied the work of Connolly enthusiastically and began to develop an interest in military tactics.

He edited the Irish Front monthly newspaper, and was involved in anti-fascist activities as well as assisting the British

Labour party through writing for a Fabian Research group.

In February 1936, the popular front government was elected in Spain. The election of a coalition of Leftist Republicans, Socialists and Communists was hailed as a huge victory for the left and was cause for great hope all over Europe.

However, by July 1936, a faction within the army, led by General Franco, rebelled against the government and the Spanish Civil began. The International Brigades organised contingents from all over the world to defend the democratic cause of the Spanish people.

Charlie Donnelly answered the call for solidarity and arrived in Madrigueras on 7 January 1937 to join the Irish contingent of the Connolly Column.

After receiving some basic training, Charles and his comrades arrived at the Jarama valley on the 23 Februarys where a trench battle was underway between the fascists and Republicans.

On the evening of the 27th, a massive fascist advance began. Three Bullets entered Charlie Donnelly - one in the right arm, one in the right side and one in the head. He died instantly.

His body was retrieved following the fascist retreat and Charlie Donnelly was buried along with several comrades in an unmarked grave in the valley of Jarama in Spain. He was twenty-two.

Charlie Donnelly deserves a monument.

It says a lot about UCD that the administration building is named after a man who was an open fascist sympathiser - Michael Tierney - and that no monument yet exists for Charlie Donnelly.

Paul Dillon is a former president of the Student's Union

EDITORIAL

College Tribune 20th February 2007

LETTERS

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Box 74, Student Centre & LG 18, Newman Building, Dublin 4 Telephone: 01 - 7168501 E-mail: tribune@campus.ie The College Tribune reserves the right to edit all letters. The views expressed on this page are the views of the letter writers and do not reflect the views of the College Tribune.

Cerebral Palsy Dear Sir, I was dismayed to read the article written by Karen O’Connell about the exam trials of a disabled UCD student on page three of the College Tribune dated February 6, 2007.

While I was moved and indeed disgusted by the situation forced on this student; my attention was first drawn to the fact that her condition was referred to as ‘Serabuls Paulsey.’ I can only

assume that the writer meant to use the term ‘Cerebral Palsy’.

If this writer plans on a career in journalism, I would advise her to invest in a spell checker and to spend a little more time on research.

Yours etc.

Anne Normoyle

Keffiyehs Dear Sir,

Comments & Clarifications: jackets do not accompany our keffiyehs, so quite obviously they are just a fashion accessory and are a marker of our ignorance rather than knowledge of the subject.

I suggest, Mr Mac Aodha, that you spend less time imparting your wisdom and more time examining your prejudices against your fellow students.

I am writing on behalf of UCD’s clotheshorses to sincerely thank Eoin Mac Aodha for enlightening us as to the meaning behind the keffiyeh.

How on earth could we, as university students, understand such matters as the symbolism of the keffiyeh and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? And how dare we attempt to show support for the Palestinian people or offer an opinion on the subject?

But then, brown cords and German army

Yours Sincerely, Anna Wright Third Arts

In Issue 7 of the College Tribune, dated February 6th, an article detailing the timetabling problems of a student contained a spelling error of the term ‘cerebral palsy'.

The College Tribune would like to apologise for any offence caused by the error.

Sinn Fein A chara, In response to your article (6/2/07) on Provisional Sinn Féin s decision to back the PSNI, allow me to give a Republican perspective on the issue of British policing in Ireland.

Republicans do not oppose policing.

On the contrary, we believe all communities have the right to an accountable police service. However, it must be recognised that policing is directed by

the state, and police forces worldwide regard ‘normal’ crime as secondary to the protection of the state from which it receives its legitimacy.

The PSNI is a British police force whose primary role is to enforce the British state on the Irish people, if necessary with such lethal force as the recent findings of collusion testify. Cosmetics will not change the nature of British policing.

Republicans regard the British imposed state system as imperialist and sectarian, and as such oppose its police force. By agreeing to collaborate with the British police, the Provisional Party no longer has the right to speak on behalf of Irish Republicans.

Le meas, Joe Keegan.

CREATIVE? then join us.

The College Tribune is seeking new design editors. Experience of Adobe Indesign or Quark Xpress useful, but not required. tribune@campus.ie, 7168501, or drop into our office: LG 18, Arts Block

Editorial

Grants T

he issue of grants has been niggling away at the forefronts of many students’ minds this year. In many cases, they have been extremely, and unacceptably late this year.

Astonishingly, some students were only received their grants a month ago. This makes life very difficult for students who might be commuting from the countryside and thus living alone, or on campus. Rent needs to be paid. Students have to eat.

The stresses of student life, and of young people in general, is bad enough without having to worry about finances that should be looked after by the County Council.

The Students’ Union has worked on the issue this year, and the prospects of the legislation going through the Dail at the moment are very promising. The new system is set to eradicate late payments and make the whole process much more transparent.

It is hoped that the ordeal that getting a grant sorted out has become for students, will now be a much quicker, stress-free occurrence.

It is necessary however, to ensure that the proposals are met and that students are provided with their grants on time and in the correct manner. Scenes last year at Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council need to be avoided as long as promises are kept, but will be reciprocated if promises are broken.

Student Union Elections T

hat Barry Colfer is running unopposed for president of the Students’ Union next year is no surprise. As current president Dan Hayden said this week, it is more a motion of confidence in his ability than a lack of interest in the position.

Colfer has been a very strong Welfare Officer, and has been actively visible around campus, promoting the Students’ Union.

His views and understanding of what the union is, and the way it needs to be run is very strong and very much in the right vein.

He will be a strong president, balanced with his views, steadfast with his assertions, and positive in his leadership.

He has highlighted a need to bring the union back to the students; to promote and to publicise the union; and such is necessary and will help.

The other races are close and seem to be filled with eager people, excited and looking to make a difference in the lives of students. It is a refreshing year where the elections seem to be about what they should be about, rather than a throwback to last year’s hostilities and childishness with poster ripping and what not.

The future is bright.

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Sabbatical Elections 07

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Five tips for the apprentice voter With the Sabbatical elections just days way, former Students’ Union President Paul Dillon has some advice for apprentice voters UCD’s annual exercise in direct democracy is fast approaching. This period is one intense preparation for all involved as candidates ready themselves to be thrown at the mercy of the student electorate.

Campaign managers, people who the candidates trust above all others, have long since been engaged. The posters, manifestos and fliers are at the printers. Desperate efforts are now being made by the candidates to engage election teams, prepare speeches and get to know the issues facing students in UCD’s disparate faculties.

Have no doubt, apprentice voter, that the candidate has you firmly in her/his sight. However, this sabbatical election need not be an unpleasant experience for you. Follow our five tips and get the most out of this sabbatical election season.

1. Ignore the cynics There are those amongst the student population who will view the approaching elections with disdain. They will insist that the elections do not matter, and when the campaigning gets into full swing, they will pour scorn on the efforts of candidates and canvassers.

Have no truck with these cynics. The elections do matter. Down through the years, sabbatical officers have been effective in their efforts, particularly when they have taken a campaigning

approach to the issues of the day and have set out to organise students at a grassroots level.

It is true that the UCD committee structure often leads people up the garden path and to a dead end. However, recent history is littered with examples of student power in action - last years concession-gaining protests around semesterisation and modularisation immediately spring to mind.

Similarly, progress made this year by the SIPTU trade union in confronting UCD management has shown that people who are well organised and vocal in their approach will be awarded for their efforts.

2. Do not hassle the canvassers There are two types of canvassers in sabbatical elections - the candidate’s friends and the politically engaged (it is of course, possible to be both). All are entitled to respect.

It is a fact of life that students who study Arts and Social Sciences will be proportionally over-represented in the campaign teams. Do not greet them with hostility just because they are not from your faculty.

Science students, who have a particular history of open hostility to outsiders and especially arts students, ought to pay particular regard to this. Challenge the canvasser certainly, but have respect

for the fact that they are forfeiting time in lectures and tutorials to promote their chosen candidate.

3. Evening students beware!

There will be two evenings of voting in the arts block. This means that for two evenings a year, evening students become the most popular members of the UCD community.

The apprentice evening student voter needs to know that they will be hunted like game through the corridors of the arts block.

However, this pursuit can be turned into a great opportunity. Promises can be extracted on almost anything and used to hold the successful candidates to account during the period when they are in office.

The more unscrupulous apprentice evening student voter will be able to extract tea, coffee or soft drinks from canvassers in return for assured number ones.

4. Attend the candidates' debate

by the time the hustings debate comes around, as they are generally held close to polling day after a week and a half of non-stop campaigning.

Pent up, aggressive in pursuit of votes and keen to outdo their opponents, the candidates will generally stand at the podium and roar their case to the packed benches. Those who support the candidate will roar back at opportune times.

Those more hostile will roar when a particularly un-acceptable point is made.

You will have no other option, apprentice voter, but to join in as you to are consumed by election fever.

5. Attend the election count

There will be a candidates’ ‘hustings’ debate in a lecture theatre in the arts block and it is an occasion not to be missed by the apprentice voter.

The candidates debate is not so much a debate as it is a roaring match.

The candidates are normally exhausted

In the old days, election counts were held at nighttime immediately after the close of polling. However, night counts have lost out to day counts in recent years due to a particularly intense occasion some years ago. It is unclear at this

stage whether this year’s count will be held by day or by night.

Either way, the count, which will take place in the Astra hall in the student centre, is an event not to be missed.

UCD’s left wing community comes into its own on such occasions. If the candidate backed by the left is wining, you should seek out their company. Ale will be passed around freely, triumphal songs will be sung, and the candidate and various members of the campaign team will be hoisted on willing shoulders as good results come in.

However, approach these same left wingers with caution if the candidate they are backing is polling poorly. In this event, scorn will be poured on to the rival candidate, bitter songs of betrayal will be sung and members of UCD’s left wing alumni, who will have returned to back the Left’s candidate in a gesture of solidarity, will prowl the hall looking for someone to blame.

for president

BARRY COLFER Why do you want the job?

What’s your opinion on the outgoing officer?

never happen.

I’ve been involved with the union for the past year, and I think I know more than most people what the job entails, because I’ve been working two doors down from the president’s office this year. The SU is something I love and the presidency is something I think I could do well.

Dan and I would have very different approaches to the job, even just from looking at what his manifesto was last year compared to mine this year. We have different ideas as to what the president does.

I see the president as much more of a leader, a representative and a spokesperson, where I think Dan may have had a different take on it altogether.

Do you think the students can trust the college?

What issues will you be looking to address next year?

How active or radical do you think the Students’ Union should be?

Communication, publication and promotion are things that are really vital for running anything. Something I would be really keen to do is reform the website. Everybody has access to a computer and I think it’s a wasted opportunity not to utilise that. More fliers and lecture addressing and that sort of thing are important. I think it’s important to bring the Students’ Union back to the students. There are many students who don’t know what the SU is or where the SU is, and that’s something I want to change.

I think any organisation built on membership needs to be as radical as it needs to be. I think the days of mass student protests and mass student demonstrations have passed us. We are in a very different environment now. There’s a very different relationship between the college and the students.

There’s a certain level of mutual respect there now.

A time may well come in the near future where an issue arises that may well call for demonstration and action. But I do think that in the current climate, they are very much a last resort and will be a last resort. But that’s not to say that they may

I think we need to have an enquiring mind with the college. I don’t think they’re out to get us. But I do think we need to be on our guard that we get the very best deal. Because there have been times this year when people have been given reason to question their trust in the college.

How qualified would you say you are for the job?

I have gained a huge amount of experience in the past year as Welfare Officer. I’ve loved the job and I’ve thrown myself completely into it, and by doing that, I’ve learned a lot about how the place works, who the important people are and who to be suspicious of.

What’s your favourite song?

Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros

COMMENT

Sabbatical Elections 07

College Tribune 20th February 2007

99

for welfare

VIVIAN RATH Why do you want the job?

I want to make the lives of students in UCD as good as possible and I want to help people in any way I can. There are many students in UCD and everyone is different and has different problems, so I would like to help them. I think I’m in a good position to do that now after being in the college for a couple of years, I know the issues that are out there. Students struggle with issues when just a little bit of help could bring them on an awful lot.

Are there any qualifications that you feel you could bring to the job?

Well the experience of just being in college for a start, this is my fourth year in college, so I’ve got a good idea of how

things work and where things are in the college. Also, I was Disability Rights Officer last year and I dealt with many issues there and I learnt an awful lot.

ry; he’s been involved in everything I can think of to be honest. He’s been outstanding. And it’s great that he’s been so good because it raises the bar for those who have to follow in his footsteps.

What are you looking to prioritise next year?

What are your views on abortion?

Mental Health issues are very important and are something that needs to be looked at within the college. Also, disability rights are important and need to be worked on. The Health Centre too needs to be focused on, and that’s something that links up with mental health. The provision of more councilors for the Health Centre would be a serious issue for me.

It really does depend on the case. Every single case is different. If they need help, I’ll be there to help them in any way and in as many ways as they want.

What are your views on the outgoing officer?

Barry has put in Trojan work over the past year. I don’t think I could fault Bar-

Would you consider yourself pro-choice then?

Well it really would depend on the case, but perhaps I would be pro-choice, but everybody is different, it’s not straight up.

What's your favourite song?

Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

CAROL-ANNE RUSH Why do you want the job?

I want to be there for students. I want them to know that there is a system there for them when they have a problem. I think there needs to be more awareness of sexual health and mental health also, because these are big issues with students.

What's your opinion of the outgoing officer?

I think he’s done very well. He’s shown the students that there is somebody there on the same level as themselves.

He’s created a heightened awareness of the welfare office, a lot more people are aware of what’s going on at the moment.

Have you any specific qualifications that you can bring to the job?

Well as Women’s Officer this year,

I dealt with a lot of personal cases. It helped me to understand what I might be dealing with as Welfare Officer. I worked on a lot of the awareness weeks, including women’s week.

What issues do you think you'll have to concentrate on next year?

I think mental health and depression are the big issues. I know there was a case over Christmas of a guy in law who committed suicide, and I think it’s important for people to know that there is help there when they are in a depressed state of mind.

I’d also like to set up a garden of remembrance for students who have passed away.

How do you intend going about dealing with mental health?

for deputy president

CIARA BRENNAN Why do you want the job?

I’ve seen both sides of the union from the point of view that I’ve been a class rep this year and I was completely uninvolved during my first two years in college. And I saw the changes that I would like to see in the union. And I firmly believe that if you’re going to criticise, and I’m not afraid to criticise, you have to be willing to get involved and make those changes you want to see.

What are the changes that you want to see?

I think our biggest fault is that the union is only relevant to 150-200 students. There are serious

problems there with the communication. I think we’re our own worst enemies in many ways.

There’s great potential there but there’s a lack of strategy and a lack of planning.

How do you hope to break down that isolation?

organised. I think proper internal management is something I can also bring to the job.

How much of a part do protests play in getting what students need?

We have good resources and we do have the ability. My big thing is visibility. I really hate the way the union has become ‘the corridor’. My manifesto is all about accessibility, visibility, getting out to the students.

I’m not afraid to criticise. And when it comes to the college, it’s a fiasco. I have no problem with a legitimate protest, but you need to begin aggressive tactics like that with an end in mind. But if things don’t happen, absolutely protest; I’m not afraid to protest.

What do you think you can bring to the job?

What's your favourite song?

I think my approachability is a big thing. I’m very

Where The Streets Have No Name – U2

I want to set up support groups next year for substance abuse, bereavement and mental health. Public-speaking competitions and debates about mental health will also create an awareness of the support facilities that are there for students.

What are your views on abortion?

Going into welfare, I would respect anyone’s decision coming in and their personal beliefs on the issue. It’s not my place to sit and judge anybody on their position.

Would you consider yourself pro-choice of pro-life?

I would be pro-choice.

What's your favourite song?

Standing In The Way Of Control – The Gossip

10

Sabbatical Elections 07

College Tribune 20th February 2007

for education

JOHN REGAN

Why do you want the job?

But the college does consult the Students’ Union regarding most issues?

Personally, I think I’ve got the capacity and the confidence to actually get the job done. I’ve worked well with the administration and I’m not afraid to take the hard-line with them, on issues where they won’t listen to students. One of the major problems this year has been the lack of communication and clarity coming from the college.

Consultation with the Students’ Union is good, but I still think there needs to be direct student consultation. Especially in places like arts, where semesterisation and modularisation had a huge impact. The registrar did that last year but he had to be put under pressure to do it.

Can the students trust the college?

What’s your perception of the job description?

What will you prioritise next year, should you get the job?

I think the students have to trust the college, but at the moment, I don’t think a lot of them do. The reason for this is the lack of communication coming from the college.

If the college were willing to seek direct student consultation, students would trust them a lot more than they do. It’s the same things every year.

Ninety percent of the time, the officer is in meetings with the administration and with executive officers. That job prescription suits me fine because I’m a good communicator. I have no problem sitting down with people and bashing out an idea.

Communication and transparency regarding the college are very important.

I think Brian (Doyle, Outgoing Education Officer) has done a good job in dealing with the authorities this year, although there are a few issues that I would have handled differently. For example, the arts degree programme, I don’t think it should be different to any other three-year course. I would have pushed for a complete resolution on that, they still haven’t decided what they’re doing with next year’s second years.

What’s your favourite song?

What about issues that haven’t been addressed properly this year that you’ll be concentrating on next year?

Walk The Line – Johnny Cash

RONAN SHANAHAN

have the same objectives, and that is to get people a good What’s your opinion on modularisation? education, I just think that sometimes that could be reconModularisation I think is a good thing, however sometimes I Basically, I’m a very hard worker, I dealt an awful lot this year ciled a little better. think it’s not explained properly, and that’s one think I’d like as class rep with many of the issues that face all the students to do if I was education officer is to provide proper explaof UCD, and I think I’ve gained a huge amount of experience Are there any qualifications you can bring to the job? nations of how it works. Secondly, not everyone can choose in how to deal with the college, and the best way to deliver for ordinary students.

I’ve dealt a huge amount with the college authorities, trying the twelve modules within their own programmes, and you’re to sort out semesterisation and modularisation. I’ve worked supposed to be able to. It’s timetabled, that you’re supposed Are there any problems that you’ve seen extremely hard with the programme’s board, for the business to be able to, but because they don’t provide enough spaces, this year that you might want to address and law faculty and I’ve tried to liaise with people in admin. that’s not always possible and people are force to pick outside.

I’ve been in and out of the registrar’s office repeatedly this I think that needs to change. next year? year and I’ve dealt very closely with Brian Doyle.

Do you believe in protests?

Absolutely. There’s been huge issues with As a last resort. semesterisation and modularisation, and What will your priorities be next year? it isn’t even huge changes that are needed, simple things like proper communi- Id likes to prioritise issues like exams, making life that little bit Favourite song? cation from the college, and a little bit easier for students. Things like lobbying Dublin bus to provide of consultation I feel can go a long way. a return service to the exam centres – in particular Blackrock Can’t touch this – MC Hammer.

The college and students basically – It’s impossible to get to.

Why do you want the job?

PAUL LYNAM

Why do you want the job?

I think I’m the best man for it. That’s the single most important reason. Many students don’t have the same opportunities as others and this is something I want to address. I’ve dealt with some serious problems this year as programme rep, in terms of exams, registration and grants. I can and will do more if elected Education Officer.

What issues will you be looking to focus on next year?

There are serious problems. We need to form a committee involving class reps and college authorities to ensure the chaos around registration never

happens again. There needs to be real action on the grants issue, we need to be going into County Councils and giving them mock awards for being crap at their job.

The exams were also a disgrace. The timetables were out something like two weeks before the exams, that’s not good enough. The Education Officer should lobby to make damn sure that timetables are out well in advance.

What’s your opinion on the outgoing officer?

Brian’s a good negotiator and he gets his opinion out there. I think the difference between me and Brian would be that I would be someone that would lecture address more, to make sure people know who the Education Officer is. I would probably be tougher as well. I’d be more of an activist in terms of grants being late and stuff like that.

Do you think that students can trust the college?

I think they’re doing their best. And I think you can trust them to do their best. But in such a big university, we have infighting in the Students’ Union – everyone has different views – it’s natural and democratic. In UCD it’s the very same. You have lecturers who disagree with eachother, departments disagreeing with eachother, schools and colleges disagreeing with eachother. But can we trust them to be more honest with us?

Right now, I can’t.

What’s your favourite song?

Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow – Fleetwood Mac

for....everything

RON (REOPEN NOMINATIONS) What does this mean?

What's the story with this race?

Has RON ever won?

If more people vote RON than for any of the candidates the election will have to be held again and new nominations will be invited. RON is counted as a candidate under the Proportional Representation system used in these election

RON will ‘win' and the election will be run again, probably in the next term. and more nominations will be invited.

Yes, in the mid 1990s. A couple of uncontested welfare races have also come quite close.

Why would I do that?

Can I run a RON campaign?

If none of the candidates appeal to you and you still want to utilise your vote.

Yes. You are perfectly entitled to run a RON campaign in any of the election races.

When can I vote RON? You can vote RON in all elections

College Tribune 20th February 2007

COMMENT 11 9

Sabbatical Elections 07

for ents

LAURA GREENE Why do you want the job?

I want the job because I think I can make some serious changes and I think I can do it a lot better than it’s been done in the past. I’m also aware that it’s going to change hugely next year because of modularisation and I intend to educate myself as to how it all works so that people will be able to come out to the parties I’m organising.

What's your opinion on the outgoing officer?

I think Holly has done a good job. She hasn’t got credit for a lot of the work she’s

done. It was kind of monopolised by one or two societies, which is completely unfair because it’s there for everyone, all the smaller societies and sports clubs should have a look in at organising their own events.

What do you think you can bring to the job?

I think I can bring a new look to things and just a general awareness of what people want on campus. I want to bring lots of variety and smaller scale gigs that people are comfortable coming to, rather than huge events that are too expensive and people just by-pass.

Will it be all about the music?

Absolutely not. I think there was a real lack of comedy this year, and I think to bring important to bring some real

class acts back to the bar next year. Ents is about everything, everyday, everyone. I plan to have days in the Astra Hall where there are cheesy shows on all day. There are going to be lots of daytime events, sporting events, match-nights in the bar, that kind of thing.

What about the UCD Ball?

I’m going to do my very best to have it bigger and better than it’s been before.

I want to model it on Anto Kelly’s year because I think that’s a great space down in the car park behind the student centre. That’s the grand finale for the year, and I’d like to lower the price of it as well.

What's your favourite song?

Crazy – Patsy Cline

STEPHEN QUINLIVAN Why do you want the job?

I’ve been heavily involved in Ents for the past couple of years and this year I was auditor of the B&L Society. One of my main goals with the society this year was to get live gigs going and bring more live acts over, and I really enjoyed doing that.

What sort of qualifications can you bring to the job?

I think the big problem with Ents is that oftentimes; it’s somebody with no experience doing it. I think the experience I’ve gained from the B&L Society will be very important, because I think it’s necessary to have that kind of experience.

What's your opinion of the job that has been done this year?

Holly hasn’t gotten on great this year.

She was just so shy of experience going into that job. If she were starting her term as Ents Officer now, she’d do exceptionally well. She knows what works and what doesn’t work now, but at the start of the year, she was pretty much clueless as to what the industry is all about.

What are you prioritising next year?

One of the big things I want to change is the UCD Ball. I think Anto Kelly made a big mistake when he tried to make a carbon copy of the Trinity

PETER MALLON Why do you want the job?

I want to run for Ents this year, I see myself as a good Ents officer because I’ve got good originality, I’m hard working and I’ve got the motivation to see UCD become a more fun place, and to get rid of the staid atmosphere that we’ve all become used to.

What's you're opinion of what this year's been like?

I think it’s been quite disappointing, and quite badly organised. The Ents presence hasn’t really been there. The year before Anthony Kelly set some good foundations for a good couple of years of Ents. I think this year was quite badly organised I don’t think anything substantial was done.

main experience was in promotion of nightclubs. I’ve co-managed a couple of bands.

What are the priorities for you?

I’d like to get cans into the student bar; I think it’s ridiculous that the alcohol policy hasn’t been reviewed. I think Martin Butler is a key person to keep in contact with if I got the job, and working with the bar committee. I think it’s old fashioned and just because people are drinking in college doesn’t mean people are drinking elsewhere.

Is that feasible?

Have you any qualifications?

I don’t see why not, I think they’re trying to hide from the fact they don’t want to be associated with student drinking. They don’t what to see it in college but they’re just avoiding it.

I’m a member of a lot of the societies; my

What about the UCD ball?

I’d like to keep the UCD ball going of course. I’d like to make fresher’s week a bigger deal as well. I’ve looked into the idea of getting a circus tent in as well, for fresher’s week, and filling it with some of the usual funs and games during the day and at night time – and getting a few bands in. Fire breathers and fire shows and making it more original. Everyone’s seen a marquee and a band inside, let’s do something different, to attract bigger crowds. It would guarantee better craic.

What's your favourite song?

DJ Shadow – Fixed Income

Ball. I think having it three weeks before exams doesn’t work and I would hope to have it at the start of the year with maybe three stages down at the student centre again. We’ll try and get some really big acts over then and aim for a ticket price of about 50 euro.

Also, I’d like to see ents as a means to make money for the Students’ Union.

One of the big ways to do this is by getting sponsorship for events. There are people out hthere who’ll throw huge money at some of the gigs we have on here.

What's your favourite song?

What Else Is There – Roykskopp

Elections '07 Rabbitte cooking up a stew In the third installment of our series of interviews with the major party leaders, Colin Gleeson speaks to Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte about party policy and the issues dividing the country “I’ve been very busy,” he explains, “this is my first day back in the office for about twelve days.” Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte seems run of his feet as he sits down to discuss the issues that are likely to determine this country’s next government. He is happy with the shape his party is in and is cautiously optimistic as to what the coming months hold for him and the Labour Party. “There is a broad mood for change,” he declares, “I have no doubt about that, and it’s up to us to persuade those people that we’re able to provide that change.”

What are your priorities now approaching the next General Election?

Well we want to focus on the big issues that have been neglected by the present government, and they’re pretty well established; the crisis in our hospitals, the absence of any child-care provision, the issue of affordable housing, the poor public transport and the necessity for better policing. There is a problem as well with tackling inequality in the sense that we have great affluence on the one side and then on another you have geographical pockets where multiple disadvantage is clustered. That needs to be addressed.

The crime wave is essentially driven by the drugs menace. I think the present government has let the focus slip on that one.

Can you provide alternatives to what the government has done regarding what you’ve outlined?

Well we’ve published 53 policy documents under my leadership. They seek to address these issues. John O’Sullivan is our spokeperson for education and he has published a document on education disadvantage. Eamonn Gilmore has published one on affordable housing, Roisin Shorthall on the Dublin traffic congestion.

So, it’s not always easy to get a platform in the media to go into the nitty-gritty of party policy. It’s fairly tedious, boring stuff, but it has to be done. Like I said before, there is a general mood for change, and the country isn’t going to get change without the Labour party in power. We drove the change before on the liberal agenda; we drove it on free fees in third level education; which were denounced at the time and were denounced again in recent weeks by Minister Brian Lenihan, saying they are to be means-tested. I think the figures show that there is wider participation in third level education as a result of the abolition of fees.

What do you think about the negative campaigning that has been adopted in the run-up to this year’s election?

Well I’m not sure that I agree that it’s negative campaigning to highlight the record of a minister. The fact of the matter is we have a Justice Minister, who, two years ago, thought we had gotten to the bottom of gangland crime. That it was the last sting of a dying wasp. Now we see the wasps swarming all over the place. His analysis was absolutely wrong. He doesn’t seem to acknowledge that we have a serious problem with anti-social behaviour in very many of our neighbourhoods. He has failed to introduce the reforms into the Garda Siochana that are so massively necessary. And he continues to address everybody else’s portfolio, but his own is in pretty bad shape, and blaming the judges

is scarcely the way forward. This government has always been about blaming the consultant for the hospitals and blame the judges for the crime but never blame the government for anything. Why blame the judges? I mean; we have a sixteen percent conviction rate for gun murder. Now, there is a mandatory life sentence for murder, so that’s not the problem. Falling detection rates is the problem.

THIS WEEK:

PAT RABBITTE

What were your views on the Pádraig Nally case?

Well I have to admit I was taken aback by the decision. I have no doubt at all that Mr. Nally was scared out of his wits, and I happen to know that it is true that many isolated older people in rural Ireland are scared out of their wits, because of the established incidences of break-in, abuse and murder. But I have concerns about a precedent that would allow someone to re-load their shotgun and shoot someone a second time. I have concerns about that.

So, you don’t think Nally should have been released?

I think the sentencing is a different matter; it’s the verdict that matters. I was taken aback by the verdict.

Do you think the case highlighted fundamental flaws in the justice system, in that it’s based on retribution rather than rehabilitation?

I think there’s a lot of truth in that. Having said that, I’m not really in favour of mandatory sentencing. I know it’s popular but I think every case is different, and by and large, the judge and jury get it right, and so I think every case should be judged on it’s merits.

What do you think about the current protection there is for the homeowner?

I don’t see a great deal wrong with it. The homeowner has the right to use reasonable force in defence of his personal property. And as a principle, I don’t see much wrong with that. I mean I see a great deal wrong with the way we treat victims, and the absence of any status for victims in the administration of justice. But as regards the principle of law, I don’t see much wrong with that as a principle.

Regarding the problems you highlighted with the current government earlier, are those down more to Fianna Fáil or the PDs? Well I think Fianna Fáil have become more PD than the PDs themselves. I think Fianna Fail in recent years have been leveraged onto the side of wealth and developers in our society. They have forgotten the ordinary person. They ve grown remote from them. They don t listen to them.

They make decisions based on powerful interest groups. If you look at the housing issue, for example, they unraveled the provision in law that would have provided twenty percent social and affordable housing, and they handed back almost 80,000 sites to the builders. They gutted the legislation that would have provided some reasonable proportion of social housing.

And that s only an example. The price of houses is a runaway horse and they have facilitated that because they re so close to the developers and the builders.

60SECONDS Favourite Hobby: Reading and a pint of guinness Favourite Food: Black Sole Favourite Colour: Red, I guess What car do you drive: A Nissan Primera

Speaking hypothetically, if the Labour Party were to find themselves in government with Fianna Fail next year, would they be capable of harnessing the problems that you believe exist in Fianna Fail?

Well I’m focused on offering the people an alternative to Fianna Fail and the PDs

I'm focused on offering the people an alternative to Fianna Fail and the PDs. We've put a great deal of work into policy preparation and trying to sell it to the public and we’ve put a great deal of work into that and into policy preparation and trying to sell it to the public. There will be a real choice there when it comes it voting, and I don’t contemplate at all the prospect of Labour being forced into government with Fianna Fail. That’s not on my radar screen.

Who would you be willing to go into coalition with at the moment?

Well we have this alliance between Labour and Fine Gael and that’s the alternative that will go to the people, I mean we will have two competing blocks of Labour and Fine Gael as compared to the PDs and Fianna Fail where the people will have the choice of electing a centre-left government as compared to a centre-

What music do you listen to: Anything from the Beatles to Dire Straits Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears: Oh, I'd swap them both for Jodie Kidd who I met last Saturday night

right government. We haven’t reached the stage where people have focused on that task. But the time will come and people will focus. I think if they want change and are disquietened by some of the things that have happened with this government, you know the fact that we’ve created a society in the middle of all this affluence that is ill at ease with itself; and they have the opportunity to change it.

So, would you rule out then the possibility of going into coalition with Fianna Fail?

I think I’ve already answered that question haven’t I? Not directly.

Well now, you’re not going to make history with me this afternoon.

What were your views on the scandal surrounding Bertie Ahern this year?

Well I was surprised that he was rewarded in the polls for accepting money for his private use. I was surprised to put it mildly.

I mean it wasn’t as if he was collecting money for his political campaigns or for the party. His own party have collected hundreds of thousands for campaigning and political purposes, but accepting money as Minister for Finance for your own private use and getting a subsequent reward for it in the opinion polls certainly did surprise me.

Have you any idea why that happened?

It’s one if the things in politics that is very difficult to understand, I don’t profess to

be able to understand it.

What are your views on the war in Iraq?

Well it’s an intractable mess. We consistently opposed it at Dail Eireann. Mr Ahern and the PDs enthusiastically supported the Bush line and are now trying to resile from that position. But I believe it was foreseeable. We predicted that the aftermath would be a chaotic, anarchistic mess; and that’s what has happened. The greatest power in the world is bogged down there now. The country is being divided and they don’t have a way out.

Are you opposed to the use of Shannon?

I am opposed to rendition flights at Shannon. I’m opposed to the absence of any inspection by the Irish government American flights and I think there should be inspections.

Are you glad Saddam Hussein is gone?

I am. I think he as a monster. But I don’t agree with the doctrine of pre-emptive strike. I don’t believe you can invade a country because you don’t like the particular tyrant who happens to be running it. And that’s what happened here. And for a great many Iraqi people, their last stage was worse than their first.

Finally, what are you promising students coming up to the next General Election?

I want to promise students the prospect of a better society. I want to tell them that Labour in government will put as much emphasis on the society we have as the present government has put on the kind of economy we have. I promise to address the issues that have been neglected by our current government, such as our hospitals, prices, the public transport deficit, affordable housing and accommodation, and some of the other issues that I have mentioned, some of them not student-related. I think Labour has been the dynamic for change in previous governments and I think we will again.

18

tribune investigates

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Living in a doorway A man approaches us on Grafton Street, holding out a baseball cap.

“Any spare change?” He happens to have asked the best and worst group of people: we won’t give him money, but we are armed with soup, tea, sandwiches and fruit for anybody sleeping out on this cold February night. We offer him some food; he asks if we have any clean needles.

The Simon Community ‘soup run’ takes place every night in Dublin, pairs of volunteers traversing set routes to bring warmth and sustenance to anybody who needs it. Most volunteers only work one night a week. They receive a fortnight’s training in dealing with the people they meet.

Before this journalist accompanied two such workers, he was warned against treating their clients as mere specimens: “They’re just other people in a different situation.”

On Grafton Street, tucking into a ham sandwich, we learn that the man we’ve met has just struggled through his fifth week of freedom after five years in Mountjoy. He has found himself homeless and unemployed. Nothing seems to have been provided for him.

He tells stories that suggest that he has severe mental health problems. He has attempted suicide since his release, and claims to have developed multiple personalities after a severe dose of meningitis, which caused his brain to bleed. The tales sound dubious, but perhaps that in itself is an indication of the true depths of this man’s problems.

He is atypical of the characters we meet. Some greet us with a smile and a ‘thanks’. Some discuss sport. Most complain that they are cold.

In the doorway of a shop, one older gentleman sits in his sleeping bag reading the Irish Times. He detains us the longest; telling of his previous life lived in Jerusalem and his current attempts to get to Baghdad to help with humanitarian work.

Around the corner, another man greets the volunteers with excitement.

He is one of the many for whom they provide a vital point of human contact and conversation, as well as food. “I got my medical card, into my hand!” he exclaims.

He continues on a rambling monologue, mostly lucid, occasionally slipping into the anecdotal (“The Simon Community, you used to give great meals, bacon and cabbage, down at the canal where Peter Sellers got bit by an Alsatian…”).

He then describes the holiday to London he is about to make. He is “not into drink and drugs and all that” (something a few people are eager to impress upon us). As a result, the welfare money which he draws every week is saved towards ferry fares. Portugal and England are his annual destinations. He also proudly displays to us his new leather shoes. As we leave him, he tells us with his hand held high: “Two more months and I’m 20 years on this street!”

Kieran Stenson, of the Focus Ireland coffee shop on Eustace Street explains, “There’s been pretty much success in reducing, almost eliminating, rough sleeping. For the first time in a long time there are almost enough beds.”

Open 365 days of the year, and run by a combination of salaried social workers and volunteers (also offering internships to social science graduates), this coffee shop provides food and drink at a reduced price (€1.50 for a full meal) to homeless people. They also offer their clients assistance in finding accommodation and employment, dealing with authorities, and counseling for any

Matthew Parkinson-Bennett ventures into Dublin City on a cold February night and speaks to those sleeping rough, as part of an investigation into the causes of homelessness lege and lack of education seem to be homeless has been someone who’s left problems they might have.

Stenson explains that up to 96% of common to the many who have never school early. So, that’s a big correlation.

Obviously, poverty is a big thing. We homeless people are not those sleeping developed the skills of self-support.

Stenson explains, “Everybody who’s don’t get many people from Dublin 4. rough on the streets. It is this majority, “Other things that lead to homelessliving without fixed address or security homeless is unique and has unique situof accommodation that the system is ations, but probably the one thing that ness are family breakdown; domestic violence; addictions, be it drugs, failing to provide for. gambling or alcohol; and mental “The one area where the governWhat we're after health problems. Though the majorment has failed, and failed miserity of homeless people aren’t adably, is in social housing. There is settlement, not dicts and don’t have mental health are 160,000 people in Dublin on accommodation. problems.” housing waiting lists. One of the Accommodation just Stenson reckons that 150 to 200 reasons people are homeless is that there isn’t enough homes. The means you have a key. customers eat in his café every day. Of these, 80% are homeless; government announced targets six Settled means you're the rest may have been recently years ago as to how many units per year they were going to produce, part of a community, you homeless, or may be experiencing feel part of a street problems which are likely to lead to and they’ve failed to meet their homelessness. If ten of these are own targets.” housed by the end of the month, his Individuals find themselves homeless for a variety of typical rea- runs through everybody is early school organisation can consider themselves sons, but a background of underprivi- leaving. Almost everybody who ends up successful. “It usually takes around two

years for somebody to get through the system, so during that time they can use the coffee shop service.”

But of those ten, Stenson reckons two are likely to find themselves homeless again before too long. The experience of being without fixed abode makes it difficult to adjust to ‘normal’ life again.

The life in hostels and on the streets is one some people never escape. Stenson explained the phenomenon of ‘chronic homelessness’ and the difficulties experienced by those lucky enough to be offered a route out of the cul-de-sac.

“They become institutionalised.

They’re told when to wake up. Somebody turns out the light a certain time.

They’re not cooking for themselves; they’re not paying utility bills. They’re moving around a lot. So, a lot of life skills get lost.

“When people are homeless they stop doing normal things. They stop going to the cinema. They stop playing football.

And that’s because they’re so involved in their problems. So, we try to provide those activities.

“What we’re after is settlement, not accommodation. Accommodation just means you have a key. Settled means you’re part of a community, you feel part of a street. Almost everybody who’s homeless who gets settled gets into a place where they have no history, and that’s hard.”

Stenson continued to quote a fellow worker in this area. Although convinced that the problem of homelessness in Dublin is not insurmountable, Stenson is equally adamant that the government needs to do more to help those who cannot help themselves.

He continues: “The reason people are homeless is because society, or the government, have made certain choices.

If they start to make different choices, that’s going to change it. So, it is solvable. Whether it will be solved is another question. The new social development plan has lots of money there for social housing. But we’ve heard that one before and it didn’t happen.

“The government had a very good idea, Part five of the Housing Act, where they were requiring that 20% of all that is built would have to go towards social or affordable housing. The developers and builders hated this. They didn’t want to build and had to give 20% to people who couldn’t afford to buy at the market price. The idea was that they would have taken 160,000 off the waiting list that Dublin city council has.

Basically they lobbied the government and the government backed-down.

“It was a good idea. They passed the legislation, it’s in the law, but then their buddies the builders said they didn’t like it so they backed-off and let them get away with it. Whoever is in power next time, we’ll be fighting very hard to get them to live up to that idea.”

Our man on Grafton Street tells us of his friend, a traveller, who found accommodation for himself and his family.

They begged him to come and live with them, but he refused. “That’s their clean break. I can’t intrude on that. I’ve got principles.” However noble a sentiment this might sound, he also admits that he is “on his last limbs”.

Meanwhile, Kieran Stenson, an immigrant from the USA, is in equal parts angry and hopeful. “I’ve been here for the last 18 years. The first 4 or 5 years were soul-destroying. That’s the terrible thing about this, that it’s a man-made problem, a structural problem. It doesn’t have to be there, and if we make different choices, it won’t be there. Let’s get it done.”

20

tribune investigates

College Tribune 20th February 2007

“I've yet to see an African who hasn't experienced racism" Philip Connolly speaks to Nigerian native Benedicta Attoh about racism and her experiences of it in Ireland “A Chinese person was killed in a racially motivated incident,” she declares. “Also, a Zimbabwean student was attacked in August and left in a coma, beaten with baseball bats and hurls. And the police said it was not a racially motivated incident.”

Benedicta Attoh, Development and Awareness Officer for The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI), offered the College Tribune some perspective on the issue of racism.

A Nigerian native; she has spoken at several local, national and international conferences and seminars.

A very impressive speaker, she painted a very vivid picture of the state of modern multicultural Ireland.

She speaks of her personal experiences of racism and declares that she is anything but in a minority as far as this is concerned. “In the past yes I have been racially abused. I’ve yet to see an African who hasn’t experienced racism but we have a login system here where people can report incidences to us as well and we get a lot of that.

“Every time I step out of my house I prepare to answer four questions; ‘where you are from’, an Irish person always asks where are you from. After that, ‘why did you come to Ireland’, ‘do you have family here’, ‘do you like it here?’ I think this is a very Irish thing, it shouldn’t really be considered racism, but like I said in the past I would have experienced a lot of racist attitudes but not now thankfully it has improved.”

She explains that racial slurs are a part of everyday life for African people in Ireland. And she herself has experienced this. “From people on the street, but also the people I interact with.

Some people show you what I would term benign racism, not outrightly making comments towards your face, but you can tell from the person’s body language that there are racist tendencies in that particular person, the body speaks volumes even if someone wont make comments to your face.

“So yes, there is benign racism as well and that is a situation whereby we can see but it’s not really said, which is almost as bad. People will say that they are not racist but will then say immigrants should not be getting this and that when the truth is that immigrants are not getting this or that.

“Some are, because the government has set proposals that won’t allow them to work. You cannot blame those people for taking handouts. Most of those people are living on nineteen euros a week in direct provision hostels anyway. It’s an issue I’m very worried about.”

She doesn’t believe however, that the Irish as a people are racist. “I’ve been asked that question a number of times but I don’t think the Irish society

or people are racist.

“Yes there are a small number of ignorant people, people who are not willing to know or learn about other cultures. There is a degree of fear in some cases. What they don’t understand, they fear.

“They see people presenting different attitudes and behaviours and because its different to what they’re used to, they have a tendency to react and revolt against it. I don’t think the Irish people are racist; it’s a small portion of people. The positive experiences I have had in Ireland far outweigh the negative ones.”

She does see discrimination as commonplace in our society though. “We read and we hear about migrant workers who are being exploited, although I know their English sometimes is not very good.

“Unfortunately the Irish government has not ratified the convention on the protection of migrant workers and their families. There are many domestic workers who have no proper documents and even the ones who do are being exploited because of their inability so speak English and they don’t know where to go for help or information. There’s a lot of discrimination I think. There are more dog wardens in Ireland than labour inspectors, so few to check what’s going on in the workplace.”

As regards education, Attoh believes the problem to be engraved here too.

“It happens in schools as well. I have had to go around schools in the northeast, and speak to some students and teachers about aspects of the Africa culture.

“Eye contact is a good example, it’s a very small thing but it leads to confusion. In Africa, children are raised to look at the floor when they speak to older people and here in Ireland you have to eyeball people.

If you don’t, people think you have something to hide. This is a big problem in educational institutions; we’ve tried on our own part to educate teachers. We have to make them understand that has nothing to do with being bold, it’s all to do with the cultural orientation of the child.”

Attoh highlights a lack of awareness as a key issue. “It’s a fact.

There is no serious awareness going on, although a lot of NonGovernmental Organisations (NGO), including ourselves, are trying to organise events to make people aware that cultural diversity is richness, not something to be afraid of but to be celebrated.

“We have a lot of work to do to get the Irish people to understand what is going on. This country was a country of emigration. We have only seen a

huge level of immigration in the past decade and there really is a lot of work to be done.

“Anything to help or enhance integration of cultural diversity is a welcome initiative. Currently the FAI is meeting with us to talk about cultural diversity in sport and how they can help us and reflect modern day Ireland. It’s crucial that we embark on such initiatives.”

It is difficult to define racially motivated violence, but Attoh believes that it does occur. “It’s quite difficult

centre on racism and xenophobia in Vienna.

“For 2006, July to December, we received about 40 reports, but legally we don’t have any power to investigate.

The onus is still on the police and we encourage everyone to report incidences to them.

“It’s also much underreported; many people will not come to us and report to the guards as well, which is very worrying. People have reported cases in the past and haven’t got the proper redress to the problem, so they thing what is the point of reporting it anyway? These people are often coming from countries where the police are not trustworthy; the motivation to go and speak to the guards is simply not there.”

The media too can add to these racial undertones, she adds, “We’ve heard negative comments in the media, when the traveller John Ward was shot dead by a farmer, a lot of negative phrases were used and the media transformed Padraig Nally into a local hero.

“There have also been many negative reports about the Islamic community in Ireland. Certain media houses add insult to injury, reporting stories as suspicious. Some people see a Muslim on the street and assume that person is related to Osama bin Laden.

“The Muslim community has been here since the 1950’s. Since 9/11 there has been a lot of negative reporting

In Africa, children are raised to look at the floor when they speak to older people and here in Ireland you have to eyeball people. If you don't, people think you have something to hide to prove a racist case. In the past, the burden of proof was upon the victim but that has changed now.

“Once someone perceives the violence to be racially motivated it will be seen as a racist incident and we have a system in place where people are free to report these incidences. We collate the information every six months and it is sent to the European mandatory

around the Muslim community. Children learn from parents and teachers; often kids will not see differences but if they pick up certain vibes at home then they unleash it.

“Of course the members of the NGO community have to continue to emphasis the need for the government to have the political will and leadership to tackle the problem of racism.

“We are not seeing that in great detail. There have been very few examples of prosecutions under the incitement of hatred act. When the smoking ban came into effect, people came to know they were liable to be punished.

The ban has been successful because people know the serious repercussions.

“In the vein, racism has continued to rear its ugly head because people do not see any penalty for being racist.

“If people know they will be prosecuted, they will perhaps get themselves in check. The government has to show some leadership, show people that racism is not acceptable. It’s not about talking about it but enforcing the laws and legislation to deal with the problem.”

Attoh was a member of the editorial committee of the NGO Alliance who successfully collated a Shadow Report on racism in response to the Irish Government’s first and second reports and presented same to the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva in March 2005.

FEATURES 21

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Ensuring sexual predators are snared Paul O’Donnell investigates the referenda on children’s rights and statutory rape proposed for this year, and imagines what they might have in store for young men Amidst the debates surrounding the upcoming general election, there has been little said about the not-so-little issue of the referendum proposed for next April.

That children’s rights should be placed “at the centre of the constitution” is a motion few would oppose.

But there is another issue to be voted on – the removal of an ‘honest mistake’ defence from statutory rape cases.

What implications this might have has not been discussed in the public arena.

In May 2006, a landmark decision was reached in the Supreme Court whereby a law that automatically made a man guilty if he had sex with a girl under the age of sixteen was declared unconstitutional.

This was based on several grounds, the most important being that the man was unable to enter a defence of genuine mistake on his behalf. This, it was claimed, meant that the individual was not entitled to a fair trial. Because the Constitution guarantees every citizen a fair trial the ruling was in fact void.

The Government, and especially the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, faced sharp criticism from not only the public but also the opposition parties.

The proposed solution is to put two referenda to the public: the first would be a constitutional amendment that would, according to the Taoiseach, place the rights of children at the centre of the Constitution. This proposal has been widely welcomed by children’s rights groups and opposition parties alike.

The second referendum is to ensure the protection of children by

strengthening the laws around statutory rape; the passing of this would make it impossible for an individual to claim an ‘honest mistake’ with regards to having sex with an underage person.

It will also put in place a “zone of absolute protection”, which would make sex with a person below a certain age automatically criminal.

The change will also provide for an amendment, which would not make any reference to an age of consent but instead would allow the Oireachtas to decide at what stage this “zone of protection” should be enforced.

Speaking in January, on the day of the announcement of this referendum, Fiona Neary, Executive Director of Rape Crisis Network of Ireland, welcomed the news.

“We are delighted the government seems to be planning these referenda for March. We fully support both referenda. The need to hold the referendum to reintroduce statutory rape is urgent. Without a statutory rape referendum the law is unable to deal effectively with those who prey sexually on young people.

“Without these new laws our court rooms will remain hostile battlegrounds for our child victims. Without these new laws the State will struggle to hold to account the sexual predators of our children.

“The statutory rape referendum is about ensuring we can convict sexual

predators while ensuring the children in those cases are protected as far as possible from further harm in our courtrooms.”

So this last referendum proposal is to be viewed as a positive step forward from the unfavourable situation that occurred last May, but if one delves a little deeper into what is being put forward, some problems may arise.

The key predicament surrounds the idea of an “honest mistake”. Firstly there is the apparent problem that to deny someone the right to an honest mistake is in fact a violation of his or her civil liberties. That is, to deny an individual a right to due process and to deny their right to a fair trial.

More specific to young people and to students, is the problem that by removing the idea of an honest mistake you are in fact opening up the potential for criminalising a lot of young The 12 daughter of a Romanian gypsy king has marmales. Many of those most likely to ried a 15-year-old bridegroom suffer from this could be genuinely unassuming males who are deceived, for ability for 70 years before the 1935 Act referendum has not received the same want of a better word, by females who was ruled unconstitutional. We didn’t amount of attention as the event that lie about their age. have and we don’t have prisons full of caused it.

Speaking to the College Tribune, young people who had sex.

Opposition parties and non-governClionadh Saidlear, of the Rape Crisis “The DPP’s discretion has worked mental organisations have voiced their Network of Ireland, said, “It is a messy very well for 70 years, so in practice, opinions but those who will ultimately part of the law, there’s a lot of dissat- although that is why the Supreme decide on the vote, i.e. the public, do isfaction that the law can’t be clearer Court struck it down in the first in- not appear to be discussing the issue on these things. stance, in practice that just hasn’t at any great length.

“It clearly comes down to balanc- played-out that way.”

This is made all the more worrying ing, the balancing of rights, there’s a Saidlear continued to make the given the fact that the referendum is number of points in that: the first thing good point that “We can’t have laws proposed for the coming months. One is we have [had] strict li- enforceable 100% of the time. If it was possible reason for this lack of pub[like that] we wouldn’t need lawyers, lic discussion is the fact that the full we wouldn’t need courtrooms. content of the proposals have not yet “This law is messy because we’re been made public. dealing with human beings and in Saidlear picks up on this and notes, particular young people, moving from “I think what’s going on there is that childhood and no responsibility to full because it’s so complex, there’s been adulthood and responsibility. There’s a huge amount of discussion ‘behind a huge amount of grey area around it the scenes’ on the wording. Everyone, and there’s a huge amount of difficul- including ourselves, is holding back on ty in drawing very clear lines around any sort of public discussion and the that.” journalists and media are holding back It is true that the law exists only as because it’s difficult to have a discusit is interpreted and this case is no dif- sion around it without the wording. ferent.

While the wording is being worked out, Saidlear is of the opinion that the it’s a delicate time for it and it’s about bottom line as regards the ‘honest getting the best referendum possible.” mistake’ defence, that the crucial point As with every referendum there are is “That we are simply asking adults in difficult choices that face the electorour society to take responsibility for ate, this one is no different. Yet it is their actions. With the defence of an for this reason, and also due to the honest mistake with regards to age, sensitivity and complexity of this topwhat you end up doing in practice ic, that it is in the public’s interest to is that you end up putting the re- make themselves fully aware of all the sponsibility back on the child. particulars involved in this referendum “If it is adult-child activity of so they can ably assess the issue and some sort, you put responsibility make their choice accordingly. back on the child and you Saidlear highlighted what she beask questions of the lieves is at stake: “Everybody who’s child’s behaviour involved in the negotiations wants the and conduct.” best referendum possible, no matter It is inter- what side of the argument we are on. esting to note Everyone wants to strengthen their that, given child, their children’s rights. There’s no the uproar one who’s against that. The silence that the around it is that we are simply trying S u p re m e to get the wording right”.

Court rulShe is quick to point out that aling caused though there is little discussion of this in the middle issue at the moment this will change of last year; quite soon. “I have no doubt that once at least in the we get the wording it will be nothing public sphere but discussion around it, it will be a the proposed very busy time for all of us.”

22 FEATURES

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Ethics and integrity in the media Susan Cahill explores the ethical dimension of journalism, and asks where the line needs to be drawn

“Journalists are required to make ethical decisions on the run hour by hour,” explains Brian Trench, senior lecturer in communications in DCU, indicating just how difficult it can be to make the right decision as he speaks about ethics within the realm of journalism.

A journalist’s duty is to report and convey stories of public interest to the people. But the manners in which journalists gather and source this information often remains shrouded in mystery.

What goes on behind the scenes is not widely known, nor is the manner in which a journalist investigates their stories.

So, are we to take the word of a journalist, essentially an absolute stranger to us, and take their account of a situation as fact? Is it this trust we place in journalists that makes them believe that no matter what it takes they must secure a story? Do we as a society put extensive pressure on these professionals to seek out the wild and extreme exclusive story in order to feed our own unsustainable lust for gossip?

Trench continues, “However, they (The Journalists) may not necessarily see them as ethical decisions. Most journalists would see themselves as ethical beings, they would like to think that they are behaving in an ethical way most of the time, and would be embarrassed to be hauled up by their peers or others if it transgressed that they had exploited their practice”.

The practice of ‘investigative journalism’ brings the question of ethical standards to the fore. Trench explained, “It’s a style of journalism, intrusive rather than investigative in certain areas of the press, where personality-based stories are everything. There is an extremely fine line between basic harassment and legitimate investigations. If it’s of public interest it is different than if you are just intruding on someone’s private life.”

He continued: “Some information is hard to get, so journalists have to be assertive. Being assertive may appear to be aggressive, rude, discourteous and so on.” Essentially some journalists will stop at nothing in order to get their story, something that Trench feels needs to stop.

“How do you stop journalists overstepping the mark? It’s certainly something that needs to be redeemed within organisations,” he de-

clares. However, he is slow to state that overall standards are slipping, and feels that perhaps a certain few are tarnishing reputations as a whole.

The legal aspect of ethics within the media is something that is often difficult to define. John O’ Dowd, Media Law lecturer in UCD, explained that there is a fine line between acceptable journalistic investigation, and harassment.

“There is the possibility of criminal aspects of liability in the Offences Against the Person Act, where forms of journalistic conduct are wrong, and that conduct can often constitute harassment. Before 2004 in Ireland, the courts could force journalists to answer in court. Now under European law it can be regarded as a breach of the reporter’s human rights”.

This shady situation leaves the way clear for journalists to exploit the system. The recent Defamation Bill will allow the print media the opportunity to put into practice its self-proclaimed determination to bring forward an independent, effective and industry-funded ‘Press Council’ operating a proper Code of Standards.

As O’Dowd explains, “Essentially a journalist is just like anyone else in society, with no additional rights or responsibilities. The Irish government have allowed the journalism sector to be self-regulated via the Press Council, but with the Defamation Bill being passed in Leinster House, there will inevitably be more shades of grey.”

Britain is the king of the tabloid or “ragloid” paper, where ethics are often sidestepped in the quest for celebrity gossip or trashy stories. Stories which grace the pages of such newspapers as The Sun, The News of The World and so on are often paid for, which raises the question of truth and accuracy. This practice is often referred to as ‘chequebook journalism’.

Trench explains, “It’s something that is more common in the British market where competition between the tabloids is rife - Does it happen in Ireland? I don’t believe it does,” he states.

So why do journalists feel the need to trick people

into revealing stories, or hound people in the hope of furthering their career and boosting corporate media profits?

The reality seems that journalists use and abuse their powers and often lure unsuspecting individuals into a trap, as many ‘fake sheik’ scandals have hit the British tabloids in recent years.

Despite the legal, ethical and moral standards in place to regulate the industry, it has not been without its controversy.

A high-profile scandal within American journalism became apparent in 2003 when Jayson Blair, a reporter with the New York Times, was found to have plagiarised and fabricated many of his news stories.

The fallout that ensued led to much embarrassment for the prestigious New York newspaper and subsequently led to the reporter’s resignation along with the executive and managing editors.

This is not the only scandal within the journalism world, where the fabrication

and falsification of stories can and does occur. In a self-regulated industry, it can often be too easy to exaggerate or add facts to stories to inject further life into them.

Again in 2003, Robert Novak, political commentator and columnist identified Valerie Plame as a CIA “operative” in his column. Novak reported two senior administration officials, eventually revealed to be Richard Armitage and Karl Rove, provided the information to him. The reporter was eventually subpoenaed and forced to testify to a federal grand jury, who demanded to know the identity of his sources. The scandal came to involve the White House and was widely covered in the international media.

While under pressure to be first with their stories, news media organisations usually edit and proof-read their reports prior to publication, adhering to each organisation’s standards of accuracy, quality, and style.

There is a stringent code of journalistic conduct that requires the use of original sources of information, including interviews with people directly involved in a story whenever possible, and to cite the sources of this information.

Information gathered from other published sources, should be fully attributed, should original sources not be available (to not do so is considered plagiarism; some newspapers also note when an article uses information from previous reports).

Multiple original sources of informa-

tion are expected to be used, especially if the subject of the report is controversial. Every fact reported must be checked, and every side of a story found and reported.

Journalists are also required to report without bias, illustrating many aspects of a conflict, and approach researching and reporting a story with a balance between objectivity and scepticism. To use careful judgment when organising and reporting information. To be careful about granting confidentiality to sources. To decline gifts or favours from any subject of a report. To abstain from reporting or otherwise participating in the research and writing about a subject in which the journalist has a personal stake or bias that cannot be set aside.

But it is alarmingly clear that this practice is not always adhered to. In a system where each newspaper strives to gain exclusive stories and therefore sell extra papers, are the ethical standards bypassed?

So, what can we do about slipping moral and ethical standards within the journalism world? As Trench bluntly states, “Many journalists only have a vague sense of what is expected of them, in the professional and ethical sense”.

Ethics within the media are a direct reflection on ethics within the wider society, and the slipping ethical and moral standards of some journalists have begun to taint the reputation of the journalism world.

FEATURES 23

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Building a future Alexa Byrne explores the phenomenon of Sustainable Living and asks, is it the answer to the world’s environmental problems “Look around at your daily activities, and get involved in making it better, because there’s not a single area of human activity that can’t be improved.” So Erik van Lennep-Hyland of Sustainable Ireland, a company dedicated to the promotion of sustainable living, told the College Tribune.

Sustainability is the idea that people can live in such ways as to do the minimum damage to the environment. Sustainable living is in theory open to us all; it needn’t involve dropping-out of society and leading an extreme lifestyle.

Sustainable architecture can incorporate renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, and design features such as good insulation, which decrease the need for costly central heating.

Van Lennep-Hyland had recommendations for the students of Ireland: “It’s a way of looking at things: maybe you notice the campus doesn’t recycle enough, maybe the food on campus is not nutritious, or it’s been imported from too far away, incurring petrol miles. The entry points are really obvious.

“Encourage the department to start a course on sustainability, or bring in a guest lecturer. Don’t shoot too high, start with what’s right at your feet. The basic strategy of getting involved is to start where you are.”

Van Lennep-Hyland became involved with Sustainable Ireland in its first year of operation, shortly after he arrived in Ireland from the U.S.A in 1999. Sustainable Ireland aims to provide resources for people with an interest in the environment and sustainability.

They supply information on ecofriendly foods and products, and give courses and workshops on topics like composting.

Their aim is to “provide effective integral solutions to the topics of peak oil and climate change, inspire individuals to explore solutions to live in more sustainable, creative and ultimately balanced way, and answer questions about sustainability.”

He adds, “It’s about attitude change. The concept that the company started with was that, if we can bring the right people together, we can demonstrate that we have solutions available.”

He would love to see UCD students getting involved in Sustainable Ireland, “You should all be coming down all the time, using our resources, and asking questions - we’d love to have a lot more engagement with the public.”

A close partner of Sustainable Ireland is the Village project in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. This 67 acre plot will become Ireland’s first sustainable eco-village, with large areas for woodland and wildlife.

People can come up with their own home designs, but they must be in keeping with sustainable architecture methods. For example, most houses will be south-facing to help them heat themselves. The Village is built around a stream and will incorporate

many mature trees and hedgerows which will not be cut down.

The Village residents are serious about the environment and sustain-

"Ultimately the question will be, what to do with people who live in cities? Maybe the solution is huge clusters of eco-villages, close together" ability. One such resident, Patrick O’Connor, believes that the Village is the best place for him and his family.

“We went down to an experience day three years ago and met some of the people and walked the land.

It just had a really nice feel to it, and we really liked the people.

Learning about building sustainably was very exciting.

“Everyone’s involved in the decision-making process, there’s a large emphasis on consensus. There were so many different aspects of the project that I knew would develop different parts of myself. I just needed the right environment. That, and we wanted a nice place to live in the country.”

Van Lennep-Hyland is also enthusiastic about the Village. “I think it’s a great idea. It’s not the only one on the planet; the idea is pretty wellestablished in other parts of the world. The Farm [in south central Tennessee] has been around for 25 to 30 years and it’s very successful.

Ultimately the question will be, what to do with people who live in cities?

Maybe the solution is huge clusters of eco-villages, close together.”

Although the rewards are massive, van Lennep-Hyland also realises there will be many challenges to overcome for eco-village dwellers.

“The real challenge is for people to work out their social interaction. Typically in a situation like that you’ve got a lot of people who are really enthusiastic but they haven’t got a lot of background in what they want to do. They’re essentially creating a village, which normally doesn’t ever happen - they grow organically over a long long time. It’s very difficult to get everything right, designwise.

“A lot of people who would be moving in would be coming from very urban backgrounds.

They would have an ideal of what country life is like and not a whole lot of skills – like how do you

treat waste organically? How do you set up a whole company so you don’t have to commute? All these things are going to be very challenging and will create a lot of social friction.

O’Connor agrees that there are tensions to be surmounted, “The pace things move at is frustrating. We expected to be living there by now. There are so many decisions that have to be made, and at times we don’t quite agree with other people’s decisions.

Of course there’s going to be plenty of disagreements with people, but we have a general respect that people are doing things the best way they can and trying to be as open and balanced as possible. We’re held together by a good atmosphere of friendship and respect.”

He credits the Village with sparking his interest in the environment, “Before I joined the Village I was never the type to do anything particularly disrespectful to the environment like litter, but I never paid a whole lot of attention, I wouldn’t have been conscious of water, energy usage, where food comes from.

“But certainly in the last three years, being a member of the Village, I’ve become a lot more aware of such things. I knew when I was joining that that was going to be one of the benefits and I’ve learned a lot.”

A huge benefit of living in a place like the Village, according to Patrick, is the sense of community. “My wife has been living [in the suburbs] for a few years and knows very few people here. Most of the people you’d know would be old friends from school, there are very few people to call in to. I haven’t experienced a

great sense of community like I have in Cloughjordan.

“We’ve worked so much togetherpart of the community is the things you do together, working for the community in area maintenance and making descisons. We are interacting together so you develop bonds and close friendships. This in turn translates into putting more work into the physical creation of the community.

“You’re more likely to be tolerant of each other and actually work together to make the decisions and get closer to consensus. All the difficult work we’ve done over the last three years has created a great community.

“O’Connor believes that eco-villages may be the future. “We do hope it will be a model for people to learn from. I think suburbia isn’t the future, or it’s a very limited future.

It’s not sustainable; it’ll have to come to a halt because it doesn’t work for many reasons.

“The eco-village is certainly more sustainable, it’ll be able to last longer. The Village has a good sense of community, it’s a good place to rear children, it uses low energy, it’s just a good place to live, work and grow in.”

TURBINE URBINE THE

VOLUME XX ISSUE VIII

IT’S SATIRE, STUPID!

INSIDE CONFUSION AMID CLAIMS THAT STAUNTON IS NOT THE GAFFER CLOTHES MANUFACTURER ADMITS VESTED INTEREST METAL WORKERS UNION VOWS TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON’S HOT 40% OF WHISKAS CATS REFUSE ORDINARY CAT FOOD AND STARVE TO DEATH CHESS CHAMPION VLADIMIR KRAMNIK ADMITS TO CHECKERED PAST

STILL ONLY

31P

BRITNEY LOSES IT FULL STORY - PAGE 23

STAUNTON UP FOR AN AWARD

The Turbine has learned that Fifa president Joseph S. Blatter has today announced that the flamboyant manager of the Irish soccer team, Stan ‘The man’ Staunton is set to receive a ‘Best Manager Ever’ award.

The one-off award has been designed to recognise not only his genius in the handling of Irelands best eleven, but also to the unquestionable contribution he has made to the game since his managerial career began, all that time ago.

Blatter, who was clearly emotional and thought to be weeping covertly while making the announcement, explained his decision by saying “There was just no award in place big enough to justify what this man has done for the sport we all love.

“Sure he’s probably the best pitch side manager we’re ever like to see, sure he could probably win the league with Newcastle, but it goes further than that. He’s just really really you know.

“I don’t want to sound clichéd but that man is my hero. All aspiring managers out there, all those who put in the hard training with championship manager, they have someone to look up to in Steven Staunton.”

Rumours have it that there had been plans to give the award to Staunton for quite some time but they we’re finally solidified when the manager led his young warriors in overcoming European soccer giants, San Marino.

In this David and Goliath story, the Irish team put in what is said by Eamon Dunphy to be “the greatest performance by any eleven men ever seen in football” to beat the seemly unstoppable San Marionoins.

Among those who have been quick to endorse the move, was Sunderland manager and former Ireland international Roy Keane. He divulged that in his opinion, “It’s no more than Stany deserves,

I know from my days playing with him how inspirational he is. There are no easy games in international football anymore.

“Many a time I was out on the pitch in the green jersey and I just wasn’t bothered, but that man would always get me going. If I had a penny for every time I cried into his big handsome shoulders there’d be a blind dog for even those whose vision is only slightly impaired. And I was bang out of order in Saipan as well. I’m so sorry Stan.”

Also to be honoured at the ceremony, which is to be held in the Bertie Bowl on April 1st, is FAI Chief Executive Frank Delaney.

Blatter went on to say that, “When a man has the intuition to spot such a managerial talent it has to be recognised. Delaney, after his smooth handling of previous disturbances in the Irish soccer camp, then comes out and fires that funny little man whose Dublin accent limited his managerial capabilities, and hires a man who will be known for ever more, as the ‘Best Manager Ever’.

Staunton himself was quoted as saying, “I think the players were absolutely magnificent.

They showed character, resolve and character to get through that,” he stated. “I’m the gaffer,” he added.

NEWSAGENTS TO TAKE PART IN NEW REALITY TV SHOW Small newsagents around Ireland were celebrating last night with the news that they will be given the chance to gain national fame in RTE’s new reality television show ‘You’re a Spar’.

Corner shop owners from around the land will be given the opportunity to earn a dream franchise by competing in a series of tasks in front of a live studio audience over a nine week period.

Already, contestants have been whittled down to a final ten by a crack judging panel which includes Eurovision hero Linda Martin, former Big Brother star Ray Shah and, in a surprise return to entertainment, Emmet Bergin who is famous for his role as roguish Dick Moran in Glenroe.

“You’re a Spar is a testament to RTE’s dedication to quality programming”, said a spokesman for the as-

sociation while stifling what appeared to be a laugh of some description.

“Our contestants will have to prove their star qual-

ity under pressure. They will have to make a brea roll in under sixty seconds to Linda’s approval a game called ‘Spot the Minor’ where they ha identify the underage kid trying to buy a pack fags and prove their charisma and patience by m small talk with pensioners addicted to scratch c Critics have suggested that the low budge gramme is merely being used by RTE to fill up quota of Irish made programmes. Members of th position have called on the government to step “This is blatant exploitation of those with ph disabilities”, said a slightly confused spokesp from the Labour Party.

Meanwhile, the final ten is rumoured to inclu ex-nun, two lesbians, and former Big Brother co ant Spiral.

26 REGULARS

College Tribune 23rd January 2007

The Secret World of a Tutor

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T H E I N C R E D I B L E A D V E N T U R E S O F. . .

DOCTOR HUGH

REGULARS 27

College Tribune 23rd January 2007

THE COLLEGE TRIBUNE

K E E W E H T F O PUNT Champions League is back this week, and Holland is our first stop. Arsenal face PSV Eindhoven in the competition's last 16 tomorrow night, as Monsieur Henry and Co. look to surpass last season's defeat in the final.

We at the College Tribune have a sneaking suspicion that Arsene Wenger has bagged himself a bulk-load of Weetabix from some dingy North London market stall, and is force-feeding his foreign legion at every chance he gets. Recent weeks have seen the Gunners come back from an early goal to overcome Man United, Wigan Athletic and Tottenham.

With this exhibition of grittiness in mind, and PSV likely to go gung-ho in an attempt to bring a lead to the Emirates, we see a PSV half-time/ Arsenal full-time as a decent punt at 28/1 from Boylesport.

Old Trafford sees United host Lille tonight and with the Reds in flying form; the College Tribune can only see one winner here. With the likes of Ronaldo, Giggs and Scholes on fire we predict a couple of goals. The meanest defence in the Premiership could very well keep the French outfit at bay, as well.

Paddy Power is offering 16/1 for a 3-0 home win, which is worth a second look.

Their backline and in particular Nemanja Vidic, are not confined to their own half, however. The no-nonsense Serbian centre-half has been known to throw the kitchen sink at set-pieces in true Steve Bruce fashion and has notched four times so far this season.

We see parting with a couple of euro to back him to be first goal scorer at 18-1 from Boylesport as money well spent. Michael Carrick isn't known for his prowess, but after a superb 25-yard strike on Saturday confidence will be high, and an outside bet of 25/1 isn't bad going.

Finally, this week our prayers were answered. News that Boyzone will reunited has rocked the world of Irish pop, and such is the significance of this announcement; we felt the need to give it a mention.

While they refused to take a penny on the band's first reunion gig taking place in my local bingo hall, our friends at Paddy Power were giving 3/1 for it to be at Croke Park, but the less ambitious venue of the Olympia is more realistic and a better bet at 12/1. That's if you care.

TOP PUNTS

PSV HALF TIME / ARSENAL FULL TIME 28/1 MAN UTD TO BEAT LILLE 16/1 FIRST TO SCORE NEMANJA VIDIC 18/1

CONSPIRACY THEORY OF THE FORTNIGHT

Princess Diana’s death was not an accident Some believe that Princess Diana, fed up with the constant intrusions into her private life by the media, and helped by the huge resources of Dodi, arranged a spectacular ‘death’ from which she could retreat into blissful isolation.

One version of the theory claims that the crash was an attempt at a faked death that went horribly wrong.

Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones still lives, but testimony from Mercedes auto experts says that it would have been almost impossible for anyone to have survived a crash in the tunnel in a car going at 121 mph. Maybe, as driver Henri Paul’s lawyers claim, the car was not going that fast. Maybe the crash was faked by the army-trained Rees-Jones who had previously deposited Di and Dodi elsewhere.

Dodi’s usual driver was not used. Mystery still surrounds Henri Paul, the security officer who stepped in at the last minute to drive the Mercedes S-280. It took a full two days for his name to be revealed, for instance. Co-workers at the Ritz Hotel say he kept himself to himself and never socialised with them. One version of this conspiracy has it

that Paul simply did not exist, another that he was quickly whisked away from the hospital after being declared dead by doctors in cahoots with the Al Fayed family.

And just six hours before she died Di let slip to Daily Mail reporter Richard Kray that she was about to withdraw completely from public life.

Parts of it sound feasible but what about Di’s two children? It is almost inconceivable that she would want to miss out on the rest of their lives.

The chances of her coming back to see them without being noticed are surely slim, though plastic surgery permitting it might be prudent to look out for a similarly built ‘nanny’ appearing on the scene in the future.

Other theorists believe that Rogue elements in the British secret service decide that Di was a threat to the throne, and therefore the stability of the state. They take her out.

Recent revelations have shown that there are rogue elements in the secret service who act as more or less autonomous cells. Some of these have been revealed to have a pretty strange view of what constitutes a threat to the state.

For instance, they have files on John Lennon, current British Home Secretary (Interior Minister) Jack Straw and they once tried to destabilise the 1970s Labour government.

It is not inconceivable that the same

agents who believed Lennon was capable of leading revolution also believed Diana was capable of fomenting popular unrest.

MI6 is suspected of bugging Diana throughout her years in the Royal limelight, and many believe they were behind the leaking of the ‘Squidgygate’ phone tapping tapes, which damaged her image during the break up with Charles.

Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was a former member of the crack Parachute Regiment, one of the toughest in the British army. He also completed two stints in Northern Ireland and served in the Royal Military Police, just the kind of background that would have seen him come into contact with members of the secret service.

Theorists cite the fact Rees-Jones survived the crash as evidence that he was in on the plot to snuff out the Diana threat.

Few doubt that the nutters at MI6 are capable of anything but surely even they would have had qualms about bumping off Diana, if only for the reason that her death might bring on the very things they most fear, the drift toward a republican state in the UK, as Charles loses still more popularity.

SPORT SUPER LEAGUE with Jack Horgan Jones Among the most endearing aspects of Superleague is his intimacy and togetherness among the extended Superleague family. In an effort to spread this convivial atmosphere, this column is devoted to the first of a series of ‘know your superleague' themed articles.

This week, we focus on the man in the middle: the superleague ref. My aim is to reveal that the superleague referees are not the prototypal soulless whistle blower who collects the best part of 50 quid at the end of each game for lazy, indifferent and partisan adjudication: rather each one is a soul with immense depth and complexity, often using the misunderstood art form of refereeing to lash out at a world which has treated them so unfairly.

Without doubt the most prominent character playing this role in superleague is the ‘FIFA directive ref'.

We all know this guy as the one who pulls the teams together before the start of the match to wax lyrical about the ‘Don't bully the ref' rules.

While most people reasonably react to this either by giving him the finger or taking out their willy behind his back, the unknown story behind this not-so-gentle giant is among the most fascinating that this column has ever heard.

Sources who wish to remain unnamed have alluded to the fact that his stringent enforce-

Rumours and allegations abound that as a young up-and-coming referee, his reputation was tarnished when he enforced a fictional ‘no pants directive' at an underage match ment of the FIFA directives may well be something of a double-edged sword; with one side he dispenses justice, and with the other he uses the veil of FIFA credibility for his own questionable purposes.

Rumours and allegations abound that as a young up-and-coming referee, his reputation was tarnished when he enforced a fictional ‘no pants directive' at an underage match. His budding career was left in tatters after the investigation of this incident, and the one-time golden boy of refereeing was exiled to the windy wasteland of Belfield to referee a load of condescending, hung-over and sometimes violent college students.

This exile has resulted in a resentment of those he referees, with one source describing his manner in dealing with the players as that of a ‘c**t'.

This tactic of covering up a sinister motive with a ridiculously strict application of the rules extends to other areas of his refereeing game.

Well known for meticulously noting the names of players booked and subbed (‘wait a minute, you already have four Stephen Flynns on the pitch!'), this trait also hides a menacing ulterior motive. Apparently, ‘FIFA directive ref' has a habit of making obsessive clandestine lists of everything from football statistics to how many times his neighbours enter and exit their houses and how choice of tie colour affects foreign policy among various heads of state.

So the next time you think about questioning a refereeing decision, consider for a moment the implications of your actions: you could just be making someone's job harder, you could be adding to a bias against your team, or you could be unconsciously adding yourself to a list of ‘potential enemies in a survival situation'.

DOWN THE LINE

These are the champions Ben Blake looks at this weeks Champions League fixtures and weighs up the chances of a British winner in the competition Tonight welcomes the return of the UEFA Champions League. Just as withdrawal symptoms were reaching unbearable heights, arguably the world’s greatest football competition has thrown together eight tantalizing fixtures between Europe’s elite.

What catches the eye upon first glance is not the absence of two- time champions and normally ever-present heavyweights Juventus, with the Old Lady of Italy resigned to toiling the murky waters of Serie B this term as punishment for their involvement in the “Moggigate” scandal.

It is instead the presence of the all too familiar faces of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Glasgow Celtic.

While hardened eircom League enthusiasts will argue to the contrary, it is well documented that the majority of Irish football fans hold an insatiable fetish for the English Premiership, and a considerable amount of them also regard a club from this league (most likely one of the top four) as their first team.

How the FAI wish it was not so, but those are the facts. Add to this the Celtic connection and the bands of Irish followers who swear allegiance to the SPL champions and regularly make the trip to Glasgow throughout the season, and the picture begins to look a little clearer.

Although an eircom League side may not see the knock-out rounds of this competition in our lifetime, and for that matter will do unbelievably to reach even the group stages, we as a nation of massive fanatics of the beautiful game are still involved, in a big way.

Recent success stories of relative underdogs emerging triumphant with the ultimate prize (see F.C Porto 2004, Liverpool 2005) tell the tale that the widely-regarded, strongest sides, by no means have one hand on the trophy before a ball is kicked.

Barcelona hit back and scored a valuable point for the favourites’ corner in 2006, and have thus far produced displays that suggest they will keep hold of the European Cup. They would be awfully naïve to be counting their chickens at this point and time though, as a couple of the following sides will undoubtedly have a thing or two to say for themselves.

The draw has handed the British sides a mixed bag. Arsenal make the trip to Holland for a meeting with PSV Eindhoven. Last year’s finalists were narrowly tipped at the post by Barca after an amazing run which saw them topple big guns Real Madrid and Juventus and ending in a 1-0 defeat in the Stade de France.

Wenger’s young guns have another year’s experience under their belts now, and although Premiership form has been unconvincing at times, they will not be roughed up by a Bolton or a Blackburn in Europe where their recent record has been excellent.

Holding the key to potentially great side, the Frenchman has strength in depth as well as

match winners like Henry and Fabregas at his disposal, but his side has yet to peak and it may be a little early. A year or two may be need for fine tuning.

PSV won’t stop their push to the final, however. Weakened since their semi-final appearance in 2005, Ji-Sung Park, Jan Vennegor of Hesselink and Di Marcus Beasley have all moved on. Brazilian duo of goalkeeper Gomes and centre-half Alex remain keep the defence solid and lively Peruvian Jefferson Farfan will probe the Arsenal backline. The Gunners will provide too much abil-

"The majority of Irish football fans hold an insatiable fetish for the English Premiership, and a considerable amount of them also regard a club from this league (most likely one of the top four) ity and will outclass their opponents over two legs.

Next up is Manchester United versus Lille.

Without a doubt United will be out to avenge last year’s meetings of the two. A scoreless draw in France coupled with a home defeat at Old Trafford resigned the Premiership leaders to their first exit from the group stages for ten years.

United are playing with a fluency and consistency that they have been without over the past couple of seasons, and with the domestic title in their sights, will be confident of getting the better of the widely unknown French outfit.

The return of Paul Scholes has been a big factor in their recent exploits. Underrated all through his career because of his tendency to keep out of the limelight and do the talking with his feet, he remains one of, if not the best playmaker in England.

New recruit Michael Carrick has taken time to settle in, but under the wing of his now (at 32) veteran midfield partner, the middle of the park doesn’t look the Achilles heel it was after Roy Keane’s departure.

The two should prove more than capable of winning the battles around the centre circle and marshalling affairs, although they will need to be on constant alert to the whereabouts of Mathieu Bodmer. The busy Frenchman tends to play in front of a lone striker, but also likes to drop deep to collect the ball and begin an attack.

Along with the ageless Ryan Giggs, and the obvious, sublime talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney and Saha, as well as the addition of Henrik Larsson, the Red Devils abundance in fire-

power will mean they advance.

Mourinho returns to his homeland to face Porto and although their domestic dominance has wavered slightly this season, they still possess a squad of superstars and the return of the indispensable Petr Cech and John Terry has been a huge boost.

With the infuriating but irresistible Didier Drogba more than capable of carrying the outof-sorts Andriy Shevchenko, ‘The Special One’ will do his former side no favours. With growing unrest and the relationship between him and Roman Abramovich deteriorating rapidly, this could be his last shot in the colours of the Blues.

Liverpool’s trip to Barcelona is unquestionably the toughest task handed to the British sides.

The current holders have talent in abundance and remain tournament favourites, but with a civil war words currently taking place between talisman Samuel Eto’o, Coach Frank Rikjaard and World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, the tension will almost certainly be detrimental to good feeling in the squad.

With an immense knowledge of the Spanish game, Rafa Benitez could well be the one to find a chink in the armour of the Catalan giants, if he can just decide on his best eleven.

Finally, Celtic renew old acquaintances with AC Milan at Parkhead this evening. Many will look upon the Glaswegians involvement in the last 16 as an achievement in itself, as they are up against a Milan side packed with household names. That could well be the Italian’s downfall, however.

With a backline resembling a retirement home, the legendary Paolo Maldini (38), twotime World Cup Winning right-full Cafu (37), Alexandro Nesta (30) and even the middle-aged Alessandro Costacurta (40) still lining out, the lack of pace means they will be vulnerable to speedy attacks.

It will undeniably be an uphill battle for the Bhoys, but stranger things have happened.

In the not inconceivable scenario that all five of the aforementioned sides progress, bringing the cup back to the British Isles will be a strong possibility. But who is out to stop them?

Internazionale’s star-studded side are on the way to capturing the Scudetto, but Roberto Mancini’s men have found themselves in favourable positions in the past and stumbled at the last hurdle.

The arrival of Fabio Capello to Real Madrid coupled with the spending of several millions of euro hasn’t stabled the club, as they continue to blow hot and cold. Valencia are strong but unpredictable, Bayern have parted company with Felix Magath and looked a spent force, while early in-form side Lyon seem to have finally taken Gerard Houllier’s team-talks in, as they now find themselves on a dismal run.

But it’s in their own hands. We watch with zest.

30 SPORT

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Out of this world The UCD sports centre was the venue for last weekend’s cross conference Superleague fixture which saw the students gain a confidence building victory over a frustrated Neptunes side.

The Cork men traveled to Dublin off the back of a defeat only four days previous, and this was evident in their lacklustre performance Huge credit must be given to the UCD team whose work rate was solid. An imposing home support worked throughout the game to intimidate the visitors with feet-stomping and free throw jeering.

The atmosphere was one of over-powering home strength.

From the throw-up, UCD controlled the play with point-guard Tony Mitchell winning the ball nine out of ten times.

The American controlled the tempo of the game and lead from defence with countless pacey drives to the opposition’s board, producing the best basketball on the court.

The first quarter started with three point exchanges from Pat Glover, the UCD guard, and Torvoris Baker, the Cork centre. The pace during the opening minutes was frantic. Conor Meany whizzed through the Neptune defence with trademark point-guard speed to bring the score to 10-6 with three min-

KILMACUD UCD Neptunes

90 83

Jordan Daly utes gone in the opening period.

Tyrone Hammonds notched two points for Neptunes to even the score at 12-12. UCD forward Pape Ba was the most physical player and cleaned up rebounds with the ease of a man standing tall at 6’8”. The equivalent in stature for the away team was Jaroslav Musik.

The Czech giant was one of the better individuals for Cork and slowed down the onslaught of offence from UCD with some steals as well as several fouls. The game was littered with illegal play, resulting in a stop-start style.

Free throws were common, and Baker kept Neptunes in sight of UCD with perfectly executed pressure shots. Gary Walsh, the Neptunes point guard managed to drop in a basket on the buzzer.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was 23-20 to the home side.

The second quarter commenced with a slam-dunk from Hammonds. UCD forward Kevin Foley responded with a quick basket inside.

Ba added two for UCD and the visitors who called a time-out felt the pressure. UCD showed great persistence on the boards with Kevin Foley netting his sixth point of the game to bring the score to 33-27.

The home team then began to dominate this phase of the game with Ba

On the offensive: UCD emerge victorious over Neptunes

scoring two more excellent points.

Conor Meany was also solid in defence.

With five minutes left in the first half the score was 39-27 after had Meany found the hoop with both free-throws awarded for a foul.

UCD maintained possession in the last four minutes of the half which lead to an infuriated Neptunes coach. His players expressed his frustration with Michael McGuinn committing two fouls

in a quick succession.

The first, an unsportsmanlike-like shove, the second a technical foul. UCD’s Barry Glover capitalised with two successful free-throws. Neptunes clawed back a three-pointer to leave the score at 44-39 at half time.

The game restarted explosively with Meany putting immense pressure on Baker to force the backcourt violation.

Two free-throws were awarded to Ba

who missed poorly. Mitchell picked up the pace for UCD with a blistering run to the basket.

The score was 52-43 halfway through the third quarter.

Musik committed another foul but failed to hinder UCD’s momentum. Ba and Mitchell teamed up well to create a three-pointer for Mitchell, his sixteenth point at that stage.

Then in the move of the game, the UCD guard, Peter Finn, stole the ball from Baker, who dished a pass to Mitchell for a slam dunk, lifting the crowd and leaving the score 64-56 at the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter of the game, Neptunes made a last ditch effort to salvage it. Conor Meany made sure they didn’t with lightning reactions to steal the ball and cut through the opposing defence for two. There was a ten-point difference when Baker stepped up for a free throw.

The pace accelerated in the last few minutes of the game. Tony Mitchell was the star player, creating wave-after-wave of attacks that broke down Neptunes’ dwindling hopes.

Kevin Foley too was influential in UCD’s dominance. The home team got the ball out of defence quickly. Kevin Foley with amazing vision set up Ba for a ground shaking slam-dunk.

With 20 seconds left, the score was 87-81. Neptunes abandoned hope, giving away fouls and allowing UCD’s Tony Mitchell to finish off the game with two flawless free throws.

FOR PETE’S SAKE UCD Soccer Manager Pete Mahon writes exclusively for College Tribune

I was very honored to receive the Special Merit Award at the recent FAI function. It's good to get an award at any time and I don't get too many of them, so coming from where it did I was obviously very pleased. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. While everybody else around me seemed to know what was going on, I didn't know anything about it. But again, it was nice to receive it.

As part of an FAI delegation, which included all the eircom League managers, I flew to San Marino for the international game. As far as the match is concerned, I don't even want to go there.

However, the content of the trip from the managers' aspect was promising.

It was enlightening on a number of issues; there was a Q&A situation which was beneficial. I asked some questions like everybody else, I looked for assurances from John Delaney in relation to the way the league would be run and the issue of sanctioning teams who break the rules, and I was happy with his response.

There were good presentations from all involved: Packie Bonner, Fran Gavin, Alan Byrne and Delaney himself, among others. It was very positive, and it was an opportunity for all the managers to get

Under fire: John Delaney together, have a drink and put aside all their differences that they have during the season. So all in all, it was quite constructive.

I won't go into detail, but the match was dreadful. San Marino have to be the worst team I've ever seen at international level and although we won the game, it didn't seem as if we did. It was so deflating. The only positive thing to come out of it was the three points.

I don't think anybody came out of the game with great credit. You could maybe say Paul McShane, but if you look at the goal we conceded, he had a part to play

in that. There were people raving about Stephen Ireland, but I'd like to see him up against better opposition.

In regards to incoming players at UCD, we have signed Bohemians goalkeeper Matt Gregg and we had a couple of players involved in the friendly with Wayside Celtic on Sunday who we are just weighing up.

As I said earlier, having spoken to Mr. Delaney, we all have to work within the financial structures we signed up to. At our club, I think our track record is without blemish in relation to paying wages and the likes, so we have to make sure we don't step outside any budgets that are in place, but all transfer dealings involving this club will be done and dusted by this week.

I have a strong belief our team this year will be good. We have a couple of players, Paul Byrne in particular whose showing up particularly well in training. Now that he is injury-free at last, we are seeing the Paul that we saw three years ago, so I'm hoping that will continue into the season, and if it does it will be like getting a new signing.

Paul's a proven goal-scorer at every level he's played at, and that is something we have been lacking down through the years so I'm just hoping that he stays fit and gets a good run of games under his belt and then I think we will see him realise his potential.

He and Connor Sammon will start as our first-choice strike force, and then we have the likes of Darren Forsyth, John Brophy and Fran Moran. They'll all be given an opportunity and will all play their part throughout the season.

SPORT 31

College Tribune 20th February 2007

Dispelling the Demons Eoin Delap reports on a historic weekend for UCD camogie The UCD camogie team won the Ashbourne Cup on Sunday by beating UCC in Balindereen Co. Galway 2-9 to 1-3.

The victory staved the demons of the three consecutive final losses from 2004 and 2006.

The win capped a gruelling weekend programme in which they also played Cork IT on Saturday in order to qualify for the final. UCD won the Saturday fixture 2-9 to 1-9 and ensured they contested their third final in as many years.

The previous three years’ near misses provided the focus that ensured they were quick out of the traps, as they built a commanding lead. The loss to University of Limerick in last years final provided the impetus for the team to prize the trophy from UCC. While the resonance of lost opportunities weighed on the team, the fresh blood that has come into UCD camogie ensured it would not hinder their ambition. The majority of the UCD squad were not involved in last year’s competition and this new crop of talent was vital in securing the title.

A stand out performance from midfielder and Cork dual-player Rena Buck-

ley was a vital component in the victory.

The All-Star scored a handful of points for UCD. In defence Louise Codd produced a great performance at the back as the UCD defence restricted their opponents to only three points. Goalkeeper Margaret Darcy also produced a solid display.

After the game Codd was jubilant, “I actually can’t explain what it means, because it means so much to us. I’ve been there for the last four years.”

The performance comes in the wake of a one-point loss in last year’s final, a fact that makes this result all the more satisfying to the players and staff. Coach Dave Kennedy deserves huge credit for the way he has gelled this reasonably youthful team and brought them all the way to the title.

Codd was astounded by the degree to which the more inexperienced members of the panel rose to the challenge, “We got a couple of girls in and they hurled out of their skins. The occasion actually gets to the girls. These girls just stood up to the game. It just came naturally to them.”

Codd claims the camaraderie within

the team ensured both the winning of the match and the satisfaction derived from the team. The tight-knit nature of the panel gave a resolution to the team that was reflected in the scoreboard on Sunday. Codd declared, “All these girls on

the team are my best friends. We’re like a family.”

With around sixteen of the squad in their first year in the college this side is likely to contest strongly for honours in the future. Codd emphasised the quality

Making history: UCD's camogie team

of the new generation of UCD camogie players, “We got in a great batch of girls.

We’re very, very lucky.”

SPORT IN BRIEF

COMPILED BY BEN BLAKE

UCD clinch colleges' title UCD’s Under 21 football side edged out Cork IT to claim the Colleges & Universities League Premier Division, in Wednesday’s final at Whitehall.

The victory comes hot on the heels of last week’s Harding Cup triumph over University of Limerick. Winning that game 3-1, UCD have now captured the trophy in five of the last seven attempts.

With confidence obviously sky-high, the venue was Home Farm’s ground this time around. Going into the tie level at the break after the sides had registered a goal each in an evenly-contested opening 45 minutes, UCD’s superiority shined through as they got their noses in front, then did just enough to protect their lead.

Niall Daly’s well-taken individual effort got the Dublin side off the mark but Cork IT upped the tempo to level late on in the half. Awarded a free on the edge of the area, Kenny Murphy’s strike took a wicked deflection off Kevin Shannon to leave goalkeeper Billy Brennan rooted, as it changed direction and found the back of the net.

Emerging at the restart however, the Belfield boys went ahead again, early in the second half. John Brophy was the provided as he ran the Cork backline ragged before picking out the unmarked Fran Moran whose low drive evaded the efforts of Cork ‘keeper Stevie Bermingham.

Cork very nearly cancelled out the deficit for a second time and were unlucky to see John Hogan’s header come back out off the bar before Brennan denied both Ray Lally and James Kenny late on.

This week sees the club playing Trinity in the senior Colours fixture in Col-

lege Park, while on Tuesday the 27th they will compete in the Collingwood Cup, the senior intervarsity competition, which is being hosted this year by DCU. UCD: Billy Brennan, Damien Kelly, Shane Flynn, Borja Bravo, Kevin Shannon, Fran Moran, Conan Byrne, Conor Daly, Niall Daly, Kieran Harte, John Brophy.

Futsal tournament underway UCD, along with seven other eircom League clubs have entered a team in the 2007 FAI Under-21 Futsal tournament, which started with a familiarisation day two weeks ago before officially getting under way with the first round of matches last Saturday.

Futsal is the FIFA regulated version of five-a-side football, which is usually played indoors.

Dublin trio Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick's Athletic, and Bohemians will also be taking part in the tournament, which runs to April 21st next. County Louth duo Dundalk and Drogheda United are also in contention, while Bray Wanderers and Monaghan United complete the octet.

Games, which last 40 minutes in total, will take place at the National Basketball Arena, Dublin City University and IT Blanchardstown, and will ultimately send one team into the qualifying round of the UEFA Futsal Cup (Club Champions). A prize of 10,000 for the winning club is sure to keep club's attentions too.

Volleyball side reign supreme in England UCD Ladies Volleyball side made history the weekend before last when they defended their English Student Cup title successfully to return home champions.

It is the third time in four years that they have beaten off the cream of English volleyball to win the prestigious tournament. However, 2007 will be looked back upon with an extra special sense of achievement, with the recordbooks being re-written, as UCD became the first non-English side to prevail victorious in consecutive years.

Winning their sixth Varsity title in a

row, UCD brushed aside rivals DCU in the Irish final to earn a place to compete in the event, which was held in Leeds this year. The girls were in flying form, and made light work of hosts Leeds Metropolitan University in the opening match before breezing past the University of Hull with an impressive two-set win of 25-10 and 25-7.

Capping off a superb first day on the court, UCD topped their pool in impressive fashion and without dropping a single set, after overcoming the threat of Cambridge in a tough tie.

Their quarterfinal clash with 2005 champions Sheffield Hallam University was marred by the injury Condell sustained to her ankle. A tactical shuffle saw Mary Louise Coleman shift to her position, while Jennifer Walsh filled the void left in the middle. A tight match produced a 25-21 and 25-18 victory for

the Dubliners to line up a semi-final meeting with University of London.

After seeing to their opponents with immense tenacity, the scene was set for a mouth-watering final with Loughborough. The opposition were by no means a push over and held the record of winning eleven English Cup titles since 1985.

The first set went right to the wire with UCD emerging with the narrowest of leads at 25-23. The second was a totally different story however. Seeing that the title was within arm’s reach, UCD moved in for the kill, eventually overcoming Loughborough 25-13 to clinch the cup.

To top it all off, UCD captain Noemi Kuncik was named the tournament Most Valuable Player in what proved to be a momentous weekend for UCD volleyball.

Volume 20 / Issue 8

20th February 2007

SPORT

History Made UCD claim the Ashbourne Cup

The late late show

UCD booked themselves a quarterfinal meeting with Ulster Bank Sigerson Cup hosts Queen’s University, after emerging victorious from the Round two fixture with the narrowest of leads thanks to a Shane Lennon score in extra-time.

Ahead 0-06 to 0-03 at one stage in the game, a Belfast derby in the next round looked the better bet, due largely to the exploits of Antrim forward Conor McGourty, whose tally had mounted to six points by the final whistle.

The home side battled their way through a hard-fought second-half however, and drawing level, they then clinched the lead to progress to the last eight for the first time in three years.

UCD assistant manager Tom O’Connor was ecstatic at the mental strength and winning spirit showed by his team, “It was a fighting display.

All credit to our lads; to come back in such a manner was immense. If you look back at the stats, both sides probably missed an equal amount of scoring chance.”

At the prospect of a tough 0-09 KILMACUD UCD encounter with Queen’s, he coy, “We will take 0-08 St.remains Mary's

Ben Blake one game at a time. There are a couple of hard knocks, we’ll see to them over the next couple of days and then begin preparing again.”

Devastated by the defeat, St. Mary’s boss Paddy Tally voiced his disappointment, “It’s just heart-breaking.

The lads gave everything they had out there today. It was never a question of commitment. We gave possession and some silly frees away at vital times and that’s what’s done us.

“You can’t fault the effort though.

Once we lost the lead of three points, it was always going to be hard. UCD’s physical strength brought them through in the end.”

The tie commenced at an electric pace with the sides exchanging early points through Lennon and McGorty, respectively. The remainder of the half

witnessed large amounts of toughtackling and combative play by both, but in terms of scores the two left a lot to be desired.

Not that the opportunities didn’t arise. UCD corner forward Colm Judge failed in two glorious attempts to register a goal in the opening quarter of an hour. The more concrete of which arose through the vision of James Brogan.

First to react to a breaking ball, the brother of Dublin star Alan advanced through the middle before offloading with a delicate lob, releasing Judge just inside the 20-metre line. The Louth man couldn’t capitalise however, and with the goal at his mercy, saw his effort whistle by the wrong side of the far post.

The visitors were proving just as wasteful with possession as their opponents, as St. Mary’s registered a total of nine wides in the first half hour of play. Inaccuracy in front of the posts remained a prominent theme throughout the tie, with the sides going into the interval 0-03 to 0-02 in favour of

the Ulstermen at half-time.

The primary school teaching college strengthened their grasp on the game after the restart, through a series of successful frees from the consistent left boot of McGorty. With a little over five minutes of normal time left on the clock, a win it seemed was out of UCD’s reach, as they looked dogged but depleted.

However, with the help of added attacking options provided by the everpresent halfback John McCarthy, UCD received a new lease of life and awoke from their slumber in front of the crowd at Belfield.

Two well-taken points from Cathal O’Dwyer either side of a Brogan score meant the clash would have to be decided in extra-time. With the momentum now behind them and St. Mary’s confidence stunted, Lennon stepped up to notch his third of the day and seal the win.

Scorers UCD: C O’Dwyer 0-4; S Lennon 0-3; J Brogan 0-1, P McNulty 0-1.

St. Mary’s: C McGourty 0-6; J McMahon 0-1, N McSherry 0-1.

UCD: S Gallagher; E Ward, P Navin, J McCarthy; C McGill, B Meredith, P McConway; K Doherty, C O’Sullivan; P Rath, S Lennon, J Brogan; C Judge, M Davoran, C O’Dwyer.

Subs: T Brady for Rath (23); P McNulty for Judge (27); P Murray for O’Sullivan (HT); B Mullin for Davoran (45); P Kelly for O’Sullivan (50); J O’Loughlin for Brogan (76); R Kinsella for C McGill (79); C Judge for O’Dwyer (82); C McGill for Kinsella (82).

St. Mary's Belfast: M O’Kane; G Smyth, M Digney, S O’Neill; M McIver, J McMahon, M Murray; J Kelly, J Lavery; R Hamill, C McGourty, G O’Neill; J Brown, P Keenan, R Keenan.

Subs: N McSherry for G O’Neill (40); J McCormack for Brown (60); P Keenan for Hamill (ET), T Hackett for McIvor (ET); R Dolan for Digney (68); P McGovern for McCarron (HT ET) Referee: Paul Finnegan (Louth)