UCC’s inaugural Disability Awareness Week was held on campus recently. From the 31^st of January to the 3^rd of February, a number of events were run around the university to spread awareness of physical disabilities and the challenges met by those who have them. It was organised by UCC Disability Support Student Officer, Antonia Virovska.

“It was run for two reasons”, she explained regarding why the awareness week was organised. “There are obviously students with disabilities in UCC, and some of them might not feel properly integrated with the college society. That was one of the reasons why it was run, just to create a better community of people who have disabilities and bring them together.

“The second reason why it was run was to create awareness so that people who don’t have a disability are more able to relate to someone who does. It was run from two viewpoints; people with disabilities and people without. “

Several different events to help spread awareness were held on each day. An opening talk was given by Mary O’Grady, the head of UCC Disability Support Services, Linda Kelly of the Association for Higher Education Access & Disability (AHEAD), and Sinead Kane, Ireland’s first blind solicitor and a graduate of UCC.

A wheelchair basketball game was held in the Maradyke Sports Arena between a team from the Irish Wheelchair Association and a mix of players from the UCC Demons and Neptune Basketball Clubs. The week concluded with a talk given by Dr. Louise Crowley on the legislation surrounding education for disabled students.

A 24 Hour Wheelchair Challenge was held on the second day of the week. Students who took part in this had to experience life as a wheelchair bound student for a day, while raising awareness and funds of over €300 for the Irish Wheelchair Association. Students who participated in this were UCCSU Welfare Officer Padraig Rice, Ben Honan , Paraig McElligot , Emmet Curtin and Susan O’Sullivan.

“It made me aware of everyday obstacles that I would never have thought twice about before” said Ms. O’Sullivan when asked on her experiences of living on a wheelchair. “Opening doors was a big thing, the lift to the Boole that is ‘wheelchair accessible’ does not have a button to automatically open the door, which makes it very difficult to manoeuvre. The lift in Brookfield is much better as the door opens automatically.

“The only bar which is accessible on campus is the New Bar, even though I couldn’t reach the counter to order a drink. Also, wheelchair ramps are not easy to get up; every little incline feels like a mountain and the arms start burning pretty quickly. ”

“I think (that the Disability Awareness Week) was a success”, said Ms. Virovska. “It was a great success in raising awareness, and is something that can be improved upon in the next few years. I think it will provide a good template for future Disability Support Officers to work from.”

Transition Year Intern

The Rubber Bandits are set to headline this year’s annual Raise and Give (R&G) Week. Starting yesterday afternoon with ‘Cupid’s Love Booth’ at midday, UCC’s own version of Take Me Out and Moulin Rouge, R&G week has gone down a storm so far.

Today is seen to be the most eventful day of the week. As well as the Rubber Bandits concert in the Devere Hall, the  Olympics Games in the Amphitheatre is predicted to be a highly popular offering.

The rest of the week sees events such as Gearrscannán and D.F.T. playing in UCC’s New Bar. A Week Detox is taking place on Friday. All students are welcomed to bring in their duvets and go to the common room to have a relaxing day with movies.

Student Union President Keith O’Brien was keen to highlight the communal events such as the ‘Nearly Naked Mile’, where students are to gather and run nude through campus as pivotal for the R&G week spirit.

When asked how much he was hoping to raise, Mr. O’Brien explained in the days before the recession hit it was possible to raise much more money. Any projected figure would be open to criticism so an exact figure is not given. Whatever amount is raised would be split between the charities as equally as possible, with each getting a third.

Rumours had emerged that The Student Patrol were undermanned and would struggle to keep the relevant areas monitored. Mr. O’Brien informed us that there was, in his opinion, definitely enough members for this year. He stated that if they did run low on numbers there were also backups for the roles.

The Student Patrol attend to the streets where student activities are occurring and ensure that everything is still going safely and reminding students that if they are caught with drink on the streets they will be fined on the spot.

Sergeant Ken O’Connell, who has been community officer with UCC for several years now, was interviewed on what he expects to happen in R&G week and his reminders to students. Sgt. O’Connell posited he believes the biggest issue Gardaí face everywhere is the way students behave during R&G week; he would like to remind students that they will be fined on the spot (€75) if they are found with drink on the streets, and that they should keep in mind that there are other people around.

Sgt. O’Connell added that the residents of an estate would be forced to put up with the noise of parties and just to “remember that they most likely won’t be up to all hours.” The Gardaí informed us that if students don’t co-operate they may have to arrest that student, and remind students that this could affect their eligibility for getting a visa for somewhere like the USA.

Hoodies in aid of Raise and Give week were sold upcoming to this week in various colours for Twenty-five Euros and conventionally account for a large percentage of money raised.

News Editor

Student representatives are optimistic a high proportion of students will participate in the upcoming general election, which the Union of Students in Ireland is keen to remind voters will be the government responsible for deciding the future of tuition fees and other university issues.

The USI, along with various Students’ Unions across the country, distributed voter registration forms and provide assistance during the process for students in the run up to the supplementary register deadline of February 8^th.

UCC Students’ Union worked throughout the weeks prior to the deadline, distributing supplemental registration forms and providing Gardaí presence on campus to witness signatures. When asked of the progress made by the union over this time, SU President Keith O’ Brien stated; “I’m happy with the number of students registered, it’s very hard to put a figure on the numbers, the Gardaí Síochána reckon we registered physically through them at least around 600 students. We printed over 5,000 forms, the majority of which have been shifted, so we hope students had them in.”

The election will be held on Friday 25^th of February, the first time in recent history the vote has taken place on that day of the week. It is hoped that this will be beneficial to student turnout, considering that many students living in student accommodation during term time return to their local constituencies on Friday.

It is estimated that 9,000 students in UCC live away from home, and this is a contingent who would have found further difficulties were the election to take place on a more traditional Thursday vote.

Gary Redmond, President of the Union of Students in Ireland was optimistic that the change of day would help, but believes it is still not the ideal scenario; “This will give many more students the opportunity to vote that may not have had it otherwise.

“Now, we really should be getting into a situation where voting takes place on a Saturday as is common across the rest of Europe. Not only does it make it easier for students or people who work outside their constituency, it also means you don’t have to close things like schools.”

Comment was sought by the Express last week from at least one candidate from every party contesting in the Cork South Central area as to the importance of the election for students, and vice versa. Deirdre Clune, T.D. and a member of Fine Gael responded, stating; “I would encourage as many students and young people as possible to vote on the 25th.

“The issues that are at the heart of this election are issues that will come to dominate the Ireland of the next decade, a decade in which the students of today will be finishing in college, looking for jobs, paying tax, buying homes and maybe even starting families.”

She added, “The decisions taken by the next government will have a major impact on what is a crucial time in their lives”. Ms. Clune also advocated student participation outside of voting, by engaging in public debates and forum boards on political issues.

This year students will not only vote on February 25^th, as candidates from universities throughout Ireland are announcing their intention to contest this election. UCC will see at least one candidate to this year’s vote, Green Party’s Malachy Harty, who is currently studying International Development and Food Policy, will be running in the Cork East constituency.

When asked on student participation in the election, Mr. Harty said: “The first thing I’d do is encourage everyone to vote. I don’t think anyone who does not vote has a right to give out about the government… And then yes, of course, it’s not difficult to register yourself to vote or if you’re involved in a political party to run as a candidate.”

Presidential candidate Senator David Norris addressed students and staff at University College Cork last Saturday. Openly gay for over forty years, Mr. Norris discussed whether Ireland is ready for a gay president. He spoke as part of an LGBT Rights Forum organised by Laura Harmon, LGBT Rights Officer of the Students’ Union.

“I haven’t got the slightest idea if Ireland is ready,” said Mr. Norris. “I’m not presenting myself as a gay president; I’m presenting myself as a president who happens to be gay. I’m not expecting people to vote for me just because I’m gay. That’s a neutral thing.”

Mr. Norris was the first openly gay person to be elected to a national parliament in the world. He explains, “I never made a meal out of it, because I knew if I did it would make me a freak. That’s all they’d ever concentrate on.”

But according to Mr. Norris, he struggled with this connection in his early days as a politician. “I was described as a ‘self-confessed homosexual’, but I never confessed anything.”

“When Mary Robinson was elected it was huge,” he recounts. “I was proud to be one of the twenty signatures on her nomination. She didn’t have to speak about feminism for the rest of her presidency. She just got on with it.”

Speaking about his capabilities, Mr. Norris said, “I’ve been around the block. I know how to behave. I know how to act diplomatically and presidentially. I know how to be treated as an intellectual and an equal.”

Mr. Norris is eager to focus on the real issues at hand in today’s economy. “There is a paw of misery hanging over this country. It needs to be lifted by shining a light into those areas that are positive and will bring us out of it.”

Mr. Norris feels the Irish people are sophisticated enough to know a person’s sexuality doesn’t matter. “After forty years I think people have gotten over it. They now realise I can do other things, and I can talk sense about the economy, transport, foreign affairs and human rights.”

An Irish civil rights campaigner and independent politician, Mr. Norris has been a member of Seanad Éireann since his election in 1987, and has been re-elected at each election since. He is the founder of the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform and is a prominent member of the Church of Ireland.

Other speakers at the forum included Cathal Kerrigan, founder of the UCC Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Society, Tanya Ní Mhuirthile of the Law Faculty at UCC, and Anna MacCarthy and Noelle Moran of LGBT gay civil marriage activists LGBT Noise.

Deputy News Editor

The UCC Arts Ball, which was organised by the Student Union, ran into difficulties when a large quantity of forged tickets allegedly surfaced on the night. According to Student Union Entertainments Manager, Vincent O’Brien there was sixty six forged tickets caught by security on the night of the ball which was held in the Rochestown Park Hotel on the 3^rd of February.

It was through security measures such as ultra violet ink on the tickets, which allowed for the forgeries to be detected when scanned.  According to Mr. O’Brien “This year was particularly bad” for forgeries compared to just four or five fake tickets in previous years.

A student from CIT told the Express how her friends were able to get forged tickets for just €8. “They looked like they were just photocopies, looked easy to make. I don’t know where they were coming from but anyone who had one, got in.”

However, Vincent O’ Brien claims that no one got in with forged tickets. “People didn’t get in with them, that’s a myth. We found forged tickets on the floors inside, people came in, they might have had more than one forged ticket on them, and they got the option when they approached the door to pay in cash or to leave.

“That person went in, having paid in, would still have another ticket in his or her pocket and that’s how they got in, but they didn’t get in by virtue of a leak in the system.”

When asked about people getting in with fake tickets, Tom Tobin from the Rochestown Park Hotel said that he was not be able to confirm or deny that this happened as he did not see anything like this happen on the night.

Another student who wished to remain anonymous stated that “People were sneaking in through the smoking area, or Sutton’s, a pub in the hotel. Lots of people just bribed the bouncers. As long as you’re relatively good looking, you were let in.”

However Mr. Tobin argued that people were unable to get in through these areas unless they had a stamp or a ticket. The claims of bribery towards bouncers were also discredited by Mr. Tobin who was “99% sure that that did not happen.” The Rochestown Park Hotel has cameras on all entrances and as a rule they do not accept cash for anything other than for the meal itself and drinks.

The only money that exchanged hands was for those who were found with forged tickets or had none, and were then given the choice to pay in or to leave. This money then goes back in to the UCC Arts Ball, UCC entertainments officer, Tara Copplestone explained.

Despite all the trouble with fake tickets, both Mr. O’ Brien and Mr. Tobin were happy with the end result. “The Arts Ball was very successful overall” said Mr. Tobin, who was the manager on duty at the time, added that it was the one ball this year where no guards were called.

University College Cork graduate Dónal Walsh was one of six survivors of the plane crash in Cork airport last Thursday. Dónal was returning from a volunteer training programme in Belfast and walked away from the crash relatively unharmed. Six others died in the crash.

“I broke one of the windows to get out, but I just couldn’t do it,” Dónal recalled to national media later that evening as he recovered in Cork University Hospital. “I was in the back of the plane when the impact occurred. I had my seatbelt on and broke one of the windows to try to get out, but I couldn’t do it. I was trapped in my seat for fifteen minutes.”

John Walsh, Dónal’s father, said, “He was traumatised and covered in muck and so on but I just got a text and we don’t think he suffered any serious injuries. I don’t know if he was thrown from the aircraft or what but it did appear that the pilot was under pressure to land at the airport.”

Dónal, from St. John’s Hill in Waterford city, studied Irish History and Language at UCC from 2007 and graduated last year with the Mansion House Scholarship in Irish History. He was returning from Belfast after attending a three-day training course with IFES Ireland, a Christian youth group.

The organisation’s director, Adam Jones, said he received a text message from Dónal shortly after the incident, which read, “I am fine with very minor injuries, all things considered.”

Mother of three Heather Elliot was sitting near the wing of the plane and was injured when the plane crashed. Heather’s mother Roma Peare said, “Heather was one of the lucky ones. She had to have an operation today on her gall bladder and her ribs were hurt.”

But while six survived, six others died. Among the dead was Brendan McAleese, a cousin of President Mary McAleese’s husband, Martin. Brendan owned the Central Laundries business in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone and was married with a young family. Another of the deceased, Pat Cullinan, was a partner in leading accountancy firm KPMG in Belfast.

Taoiseach Brian Cowan spoke with two of the other survivors. He said, “They are in good spirits and they are obviously very grateful for the care they are receiving at the hospital.”

Dónal’s family are supporters of Fine Gael. Dónal and his father John count votes from Waterford city during election time.

President Mary McAleese expressed, “I am especially conscious of the pain being experienced tonight by all of the bereaved. Brendan’s family have lost a fine and loving husband, father, son, and brother and their awful grief is replicated in the lives of all those who lost their loved ones in today’s plane crash.”

Following student lunchtime protests, the Minister of Health and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has agreed to reconsider the eventual abolishment of pay during clinical placements for fourth year nursing and midwifery students. Hundreds of student midwives and nurses were out in force to protest last Wednesday to protest against the phasing out of fourth year clinical placement payment.

A protest took place between 12.30 and 13.30 outside Cork University Hospital as part of the INMO’s nationwide effort against the measure. Over 4,000 people protested outside the main teaching hospitals across the country.

Auditor of the UCC Nursing and Midwifery society, Meghan O’Sullivan told the Express “We were delighted with the protest, It was much bigger than expected.” Ms. O’Sullivan also echoed the view of many others, calling the government’s proposed plan “an absolute disgrace. It’s complete and utter slave labour.”

On a personal level, she said that as a nurse, it made her “feel worthless” about the work she carries out on her placement. Both she and UCC INMO rep Tanya O’Connor were happy with the high level of media coverage of the event and the support that others have given to the nursing and midwifery students.

SU president Keith O’Brien attended the protest and praised the involvement of the students with the issue. He assured the continuing aid of the UCC Students’ Union and the USI, saying “We have pledged all our support.”  When asked about the responses of the political parties to the abolition of fourth year students’ pay, he described them as weak but also acknowledged that the parties may be unable to do much about it, depending on the state’s financial resources.

In regard to the Minister of Health’s promise that the situation will be reconsidered, the opinions of many students were mixed. Tanya O’Connor said “At least if they’re reconsidering it, it’s a good step. It may be able to turn it around.” Deirdre Maloney and Aimee King, both fourth year nursing students, were less optimistic.

Ms. Maloney stated that “It depends on how much they cut. At the end of the day it is still only student nurses that they are targeting, not any other students.” For Ms. King, the review of the proposed abolishment is a positive development but “whether the government will actually do anything is uncertain. With the general election coming up, everything could change.”

A protest march in Dublin has been scheduled to take place next Wednesday the 16^th of February, however with the government’s new stance it is uncertain whether this will go ahead.

Colm O’ Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, made an appearance at University College Cork last Thursday. Mr O’ Gorman addressed the organisation’s mental health campaign which aims to make mental health a political priority. The event was hosted by the UCC Amnesty International Society, which was reformed last January after two years of inactivity.

Amnesty Ireland launched their mental health campaign in June 2009. Mr. O’ Brien explained, “One of the main problems with mental health is that it’s invisible. The Irish government doesn’t see mental health issues as human rights issues. We spend 3.5% of health spend on mental health while the World Health Organisation (WHO) says it should be at 12%.”

Mr. O’ Gorman believes the Irish mental health service to be deeply flawed. He detailed, “There are issues around attention, treatment, and the kind of facilities people are treated in. One of the major issues in recent years has been concerned with young people in mental health services.

“In Ireland each year, up to 200 children are detained in adult mental health wards rather than specialist childhood and adolescent mental health wards. This is despite the fact that the state’s own watchdog on mental health, the Mental Health Commission, found that placing children in adult psychiatric wards is counter-therapeutic and almost purely custodial.”

Mr. O’ Gorman continued, “The majority of people who experience mental health problems will recover if they’re given the right treatment and will be able to live fulfilling, healthy, sustained lives within their communities. But our mental health system is configured in such a way that they can’t do that.

“International law states that the government must provide services that are accessible, adequate and appropriate. The failure to provide services of this kind exacerbates the problem.”

As part of Amnesty Ireland’s mental health campaign, it began encouraging the Irish government to consider duty bearing obligations on the Health Service Executive (HSE). The new legislation, which would have been ground-breaking had it been brought to cabinet, would have required the HSE to deliver services in line with those detailed in international law.

But while the policy was never introduced, Mr. O’ Brien feels Amnesty Ireland achieved success anyway. He said, “We had a major breakthrough when the HSE revealed they thought it was a good idea. To get to a point where our government recognised it was necessary to have legislation that placed clear obligations on the state to deliver services in a particular way was a huge breakthrough. Essentially, the principle was won.”

However, such a campaign was not always possible for Amnesty Ireland. “One of the initial rules within Amnesty was that you didn’t work on domestic human rights issues,” Mr. O’ Gorman said. “You never addressed human rights issues in the country in which the organisation was based.”

In 2002, the organisation introduced Work On Own Country (WOOK), which allowed Amnesty Ireland to focus on the country’s own human rights issues.

Amnesty International is currently in its 50^th year. The current phase of its mental health campaign will culminate this June.

A university-wide student survey will be emailed to every student of University College Cork this February 21^st. The aim of the survey is to gather students’ experience as a student at UCC. Students will have two weeks to complete the survey, the results of which will remain anonymous.

Con O’ Brien, Vice President for the Student Experience explained, “What I’m keen to convey to students is the importance of them filling out the student survey. It is an opportunity for students to have their say across important aspects of the student experience, such as teaching, learning, services, social life, and finances.”

The first university-wide student survey of UCC students took place in March 2009. Over 3000 students responded, with 94% indicating they were proud to be part of the college. Students also identified some areas which they felt needed to be improved upon, the results of which are currently being used to enhance the student experience at UCC.

2009′s survey sparked the redevelopment of the Mardyke, which includes a new Markdyke Pavillion and an extension to the gym complex. Work beings this month and is set for completion this year. The changes will coincide with the hundred year anniversary of the Mardyke area being used for sports and recreation by UCC.

Other initiatives brought about as a result of the survey include the continuation of the Peer Assisted Student Support Programme (PASS), which incorporates Niteline and the uLink Peer Support Programme, the launch of umail, the imminent roll-out of the new student portal and more on-campus events and activities for students.

Mr O’ Brien said, “The Students’ Union have been very supportive of having a student survey as it helps us understand the views of students; the things we’re doing well and the things we’re doing not so well, and how we can go about improving things.”

For the 2011 survey, undergraduate students, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students will be surveyed separately. According to Mr. O’ Brien, it will take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.

As an incentive, all students who complete the survey will be entered into a draw to win such prizes as an Apple iPod, a Dell Netbook, a travel voucher to the value of €500 and one of three vouchers for the campus book shop worth €50 each.

The survey is co-sponsored by Con O’ Brien, Vice President for the Student Experience, Grace Neville, Vice President for Teaching and Learning, and the Students’ Union.

A talk on female participation in student politics held in Devere Hall last week brought to light the poor participation of women in student politics. It was organised by Audrey Ellard Walsh, Gender Equality Officer for UCC Students’ Union, in effort to promote more female involvement in student politics in light of the upcoming Students’ Union elections on March 8^th and 9^th.

Speakers at the event were from a broad range of backgrounds. Fiona Buckley of the UCC Department of Government was first to speak, and highlighted the poor representation of women in national politics; she noted that Ireland was 23^rd out of the 27 EU countries in terms of female participation in politics.

UCC Students’ Union President Keith O’Brien talked about how to run an effective election campaign, and the problems that might face female students running for election. When asked what advice he would give to a female candidate running for UCC SU President, Mr. O’Brien said that if he thought that the female candidate was suitably competent, he himself would not re-run for President this March.

Cathy Pembroke, Southern Area Officer for the Union of Students in Ireland, spoke about her time as Education Officer and then President of Waterford Institute of Technology Students’ Union. The first female President of WITSU in thirty eight years, she noted the importance of role models for women in national and university level politics, and the male culture currently dominating student politics throughout the country; she did, however, commend Letterkenny Institute of Technology, which has had a number of successive female Presidents in recent times.

Dr. Sandra McAvoy of the UCC Women’s Studies Department expressed her opinion that student politics is a starting point for getting involved in politics on a local or national level, and that it could be a launch pad for improving women’s involvement in particular. She advocated the establishment of support networks to help foster a culture of women in the sphere of politics.

Lorna Greene, a third year Arts student, attended the talk. “I think there’s a serious lack of discussion on campus about women’s issues. This is one of the first times that I’ve seen anything about it, so I said I’d come along and support”, she said at the interval. “A major issue for women entering politics is confidence, and a fear that when you enter politics, you will be ridiculed. You’re going to be turned into an object that’s either too sexual or not sexual enough, and that it’s a very intimidating atmosphere to be in.”

Linda Kelly, a former USI Equality Officer, former Chair of UCC Students’ Union Council and founder of Cork Feminista, also spoke at the talk. She said that women will not run for positions in a system that they feel doesn’t represent them properly. “I started in UCC in 2004. Out of 24 sabbats since then, there has only ever been 4 female sabbats. It is proven that if you don’t see yourself represented in a system, you’re less likely to get engaged with it, and run for positions within that system. That’s possibly the biggest challenge for women.”

Ms. Ellard Walsh was hopeful that the talk would inspire more female students to run for sabbatical positions. “When I was running for Gender Equality Officer, I put this talk as a point in my manifesto. Girls just aren’t running, they aren’t putting themselves forward for the higher positions even though some of them are so qualified and dedicated, and would be great.

“I would love to see an equality amongst the candidates who are running. Obviously, at the end of the day the best candidate will win the election, but girls are never going to win if they don’t run in the first place.”