In the News..

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless T.D. has today launched University of Galway’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030. The document, entitled Of Galway, For the World, sets out the priorities for the University’s development over the course of the next five years, with a renewed focus on being a research-intensive globally connected higher education institution. During the lifetime of the Strategic Plan, the University will invest in new systems and spaces to better support teaching and research excellence. Among those are the construction of the new Library and Learning Commons in the centre of the campus and the development of a new Student Success Centre that will engage students in new ways of learning and support their progression, success, health and wellbeing throughout their university journey.  Further initiatives will be undertaken including a Future Talent Programme that will invest to attract new talent in research, teaching and professional services to Galway, develop current staff, and grow a PhD cohort through targeted programmes. Other initiatives include the new Research Process Improvement Project - a multi-faceted programme that improves the research journey and experience to maximise impact, and an ambitious Technology-Enablement Programme - a significant investment in Information and communication technology (ICT) operating models and the successful delivery of digital infrastructure projects, which will be critical to the University's success in the coming years. The Strategic Plan was launched at a special event on campus with Minister Lawless where innovative and impactful research was showcased. Minister Lawless, said: “The launch of University of Galway's Strategic Plan 2025-2030 Of Galway, For the World is truly an exciting time. There are many new developments and the sense of ambition and innovation on campus is tangible. “University of Galway has a proven track record of embedding creativity and excellence in providing a diverse range of programmes and putting the student experience at the centre of teaching and learning. The new Strategic Plan is the next step on that journey." Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile, Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, said: “I would like to sincerely thank our university community and partners and all of those who engaged with us during the consultation process to develop the University’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030. We are excited to share the outcome of this work and look forward to the next chapter of the University’s strategic journey.” Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “This is a very exciting time for our university as we celebrate 180 years of university scholarship, research and education in Galway at a time of profound change in the world. “With so much uncertainty and complexity in global matters, yet so many new and innovative ideas and new technologies, there is a wealth of opportunities and challenges for us to grasp. Our Strategic Plan 2025-30 Of Galway, For the World captures that ambition and will enable our University community to have significant impact in helping to address the needs of society, building on our long and proud history of achievement.” The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 will focus on the University’s core mission to nurture talent and generate knowledge for the world. This mission will be guided by the University’s existing values of Excellence, Respect, Openness, Sustainability, and Belonging - a new value which students asked for. The document sets out areas of strategic priorities: Distinctive Research Impact; Education for the Future; and Effective and Sustainable Organisation that Empowers our People. The Strategic Plan identifies four research pillars in which University of Galway will make a distinctive impact in the years ahead: Innovation for Health; Creativity, Culture & Society; Sustainable & Resilient Environments: Earth & Ocean; and Decisive Data & Transformative AI. The title of the Strategic Plan, Of Galway, For the World, was inspired by the distinctiveness of the University and its city and region, as well as the global impact the university community makes from this unique place. Read the full Strategic Plan 2025-2030 here: www.universityofgalway.ie/strategy2030 Ends

 Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan T.D. has formally launched a new book analysing sentencing in cases of serious sexual offences which explores the factors that influence the decision-making of judges.  The research was carried out by Dr Diarmuid Griffin, a lecturer in criminology and criminal law at University of Galway’s School of Law and published by Policy Press - Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders – How Judges Decide When Discretion is Wide.  The book uses more than 100 court cases in Ireland from 1985 to 2022, and examines sentencing resulting in 15 years' imprisonment up to, and including, life imprisonment in sexual offences cases. The research explores the factors that influence judges to impose a sentence of long-term imprisonment in serious sexual offence cases.  Judges have made it clear that sentences of 15 years to life imprisonment are to be reserved for offending that is “truly egregious”. Minster for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan T.D. said: ‘’Dr Griffin has produced very important data and analysis of sentencing patterns in relation to sexual offences, at the upper end. This research provides policy makers with a solid basis to develop policy into the future. Of particular note are Dr Griffin’s findings that show a significant level of consistency in sentencing which can be attributed, at least in part, to the fact that a relatively small number of judges deal with the most serious sexual offences in the Central Criminal Court. This is an important finding which challenges the narrative of inconsistency in sentencing, at least in relation to these offences, and shows the value of the experience gained over many years dealing with a particularly challenging category of offences. I am very pleased to launch ‘Sentencing Serious Sex Offenders: How Judges Decide when Discretion is Wide’ and I welcome its publication.”  Dr Griffin said: “How and why judges decide to impose a particular sentence in an individual case has become a topic of intense public interest but there are few studies examining sentencing decision-making. This book provides an opportunity to broaden and deepen the discourse on sentencing.” In their sentencing remarks, many judges stated that cases involving sentences of 15 years to life were the “most difficult” and “most horrendous” of their time on the bench, including one who described the offending as “the most grievous sexual assault I have ever come across in my career”. Dr Griffin said: “These cases are exceptional in nature and judges pointed to the challenges that they present at sentencing. In particular, judges emphasised the severity of the consequences arising from the offending, resulting in victims being ‘severely traumatised’ and ‘seriously scarred’.  “It is important to note that the findings set out in the analysis are indicative of the factors influencing a sentence of 15-years to life imprisonment and are therefore not necessarily reflective of patterns in sexual violence at a general level.”  Dr Griffin’s data analysis indicates that there appears to be a broad consensus across decision-makers regarding the level of conduct, culpability and harm warranting a sentence in the top range.  Some of the key factors that emerged from the analysis included: In almost all cases the defendant had been convicted of multiple offences (94 per cent). The volume of offending being dealt with at each sentencing hearing was the most significant factor that emerged. Half of all cases involved multiple victims of sexual violence and almost two thirds involved multiple incidents (63 per cent). The sentence imposed in these cases should be viewed as a reflection of the volume of offending in the case as a whole rather than a single sentence for a single crime. Cases involving crimes committed against adult victims Of the 108 cases examined, 45 involved crimes committed against adult victims. The perpetrators were all men. All of the victims of sexual violence were women, and most were victimised in early adulthood. These offences were frequently committed in a public place and referred to by judges as a “random attack”. More than half of the cases involved serious levels of violence, including the use of weapons or the threat of their use (58%) and death threats (51%). Sentencing judges viewed these factors as significantly increasing the culpability of the defendant. In cases resulting in 15 years to life imprisonment, 65% of victims were attacked by a stranger and 18% by someone they met within 24 hours. This is in contrast with data on the experience of sexual violence in Ireland which indicates that the majority of adult victims knew the perpetrator, and this was often a partner, former partner, friend or acquaintance. Dr Griffin said: “It may be that ‘stranger rape’ cases are reaching the sentencing courts on a more frequent basis than other relationship-based sexual violence and this may partly explain their prevalence in this study. It is also possible that when deliberating on sentencing outcomes, judges may be perceiving ‘stranger rape’ as being more serious and harmful. “The level of harm caused to victims in all cases was referenced as critically important by sentencing judges, who referenced the physical and psychological impact of the offending and recognised the long-term effects of this type of victimisation.  At a broader level, factors more directly related to the defendant were of significance in influencing sentencing outcomes, including: Of most importance was the previous criminal history of the offender, which was referenced by judges in two thirds of cases (67%). Three out of five of those with a previous criminal history had been convicted of sexual offences. Judges made reference to concerns in relation to the risk of reoffending in just over half of all cases (51%). These offenders were described as a ‘grave threat’ to the public. Aside from the entering of a guilty plea (56% of cases) the level of mitigation was limited.  Cases involving crimes of child sexual abuse  The analysis also looked at 63 cases of child sexual abuse, where judges were tasked with addressing the breadth, depth and depravity of offending at the sentencing hearing. While there were 63 defendants, these cases included a total of 159 victims of sexual violence. In over two thirds of these cases, victimisation began when the child or children were aged 10 or younger. There was more diversity in terms of the gender of victims of child sexual abuse when compared to cases involving adult victims - two thirds of the victims being female and a third male. All of the perpetrators were male. Multiple offences were committed in all cases and all cases included additional sexual offences. In some cases, the volume of offences committed was staggering, with one in six cases involving 50 offences or more. A highly significant aggravating factor in these cases was that the perpetrator abused a position of trust or misused a dominant position within a family. The perpetrator was either a father or step-father to the victim(s) in 45% of instances. Outside of this, in almost all cases there was some form of relationship with the child or the family members of the child, and the perpetrator breached that trust in the relationship. Judges emphasised the severity of the consequences arising from the offending, resulting in victims being “severely traumatised”. Aggravating factors relating to the level and extent of violence perpetrated against the victim(s) were identified by judges including, for example: special violence; additional and gratuitous sexual perversions; the use of death threats; and the use of implements of violence. Similar to cases involving adult victims, a guilty plea was the most prevalent mitigating factor (70% of cases). A victim impact statement was identified in 78% of cases.   Dr Griffin said: A previous criminal history was less prevalent than in cases involving adult victims (32% of cases). However, given the volume of offending, the number of victims and the prolonged and sustained nature of the abuse, it is more accurate to state that the offending did not come to the attention of the authorities at the time it was committed and, as a result, it was all being dealt with at the same sentencing hearing. Dr Griffin said: The sexual offence cases that are the focus of this study are almost exclusively dealt with by a small group of judges that sit at the Central Criminal Court. In fact, sexual offences make up the majority of these judges’ sentencing workload. The small number of judges responsible for sentencing in these cases is an important component in shedding light on the consistency evident in sentencing approaches and outcomes. Ends

Cuireann an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche na milliúin euro i bhfoirm maoinithe ar fáil d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe chun cúram agus torthaí othair a chur chun cinn  Sheol an tAire Sláinte, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill T.D., infheistíocht charthanach mhaoinithe de chuid na hInstitiúide Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche (NBCRI), arbh fhiú €4 mhilliún é, chun tabhairt faoi thaighde in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe ar fhorbairtí a d’fhéadfadh saol na n-othar a athrú chun feabhais ó thaobh cúraim agus torthaí de.   Déanfaidh infheistíocht na hInstitiúide Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche éascaíocht do thaighde feabhsaithe agus do dhiagnóisic a rachaidh chun tairbhe othar, agus san áireamh leis sin beidh íomháú digiteach nach bhfuil fáil air in Éirinn faoi láthair, leathnú trialacha cliniciúla agus tuilleadh comhoibrithe idirnáisiúnta i dtaobh samplaí cliniciúla a anailísiú.     Tá an maoiniú carthanach seo, arbh fhiú na milliúin euro é, á chur ar fáil mar chuid de Chomhpháirtíocht Shainiúil idir an NCBRI agus an Ollscoil, agus beidh poist ríthábhachtacha nua, idir acadúil agus taighde, mar thoradh air.   Tá an daonchairdiúlacht seo, agus an chomhpháirtíocht atá taobh thiar di, bunaithe ar na caidrimh sheanbhunaithe idir an dá eagraíocht ar cuireadh tús leo os cionn tríocha bliain ó shin, agus fócas ar leith acu le 15 bliana anuas ar thaighde eolaíoch agus cliniciúil a chumasú.   Síníodh an Chomhpháirtíocht Shainiúil go hoifigiúil agus seoladh go foirmeálta í ag ócáid a reáchtáladh in Institiúid Lambe don Taighde Aistritheach de chuid na hOllscoile.    Seo mar a labhair an tAire Sláinte, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, T.D.: “Tá an-áthas orm an chomhpháirtíocht thábhachtach seo idir an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche (NCBRI) agus Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a sheoladh. Ní hamháin go gcuirfidh an infheistíocht €4 mhilliún seo i dtaighde ailse chíche le cúram agus torthaí othar, ach réiteoidh sé an bealach d’fhionnachtana ceannródaíocha i dtaighde agus i ndiagnóisic. Ceann de na hailsí is coitianta is ea ailse chíche agus déantar bean amháin as gach seachtar in Éirinn a dhiagnóisiú leis an ngalar seo i gcaitheamh a saoil. Céim mhór chun tosaigh is ea fógra an lae inniu maidir le tacú le mná a bhfuil an galar seo ag gabháil dóibh.”   Dúirt Uachtarán Eatramhach Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Peter McHugh: “Cuireann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe fáilte roimh an maoiniú seo atá curtha ar fáil ag an NCBRI agus roimh an athrú suntasach chun feabhais a bheidh mar thoradh ar an gcomhoibriú fadtéarmach agus feidhmeach seo ar an taighde ailse chíche. Tá ár gcomhpháirtíocht ar an bhfód le fada an lá agus níl aon amhras orainn ach go ndéanfaidh an infheistíocht dhaonchairdiúil fhlaithiúil seo difear suntasach dóibh siúd a bhfuil ailse orthu, agus go mbeidh tionchar níos leithne ag an Ollscoil mar institiúid diantaighde a bhfuil fréamhacha sa phobal aici agus í tiomanta do leas an phobail.”    Tá ról lárnach á chomhlíonadh le fada ag an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche (NBCRI), ar carthanas náisiúnta é, i bhforbairt na gclinicí scagthástála cíche agus siomptómacha a chur chun cinn in Ospidéal na hOllscoile, Gaillimh agus i bhforbairt buntaighde agus taighde chliniciúil ar ailse chíche in Institiúid Lambe in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.    Tacóidh infheistíocht mhaoinithe an NBCRI leis na réimsí taighde seo a leanas:     Taighde aistritheach ar ailse chíche de chuid Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, ailse chíche mheiteastáiseach san áireamh; riosca géiniteach; fionnachtain agus brath bithmharcóirí; cumarsáid ó chill go cill laistigh de shiadaí; gaschealla agus teiripe chille.   An Bithbhanc Ailse agus oibriú i gcomhar le comhpháirtithe náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta, rud a éascóidh úsáid samplaí cliniciúla d’fhonn fiosrúchán a dhéanamh ar an gcaoi a bhforbraíonn an galar, a ndiagnóisítear é agus a gcuirtear cóir leighis air.  Saindiagnóisic trí úsáid a bhaint as trealamh íomháithe dhigitigh spásúil.  Trialacha cliniciúla a bhaineann le réimse na diagnóisice, cóireálacha leighis agus leo siúd a thagann slán, agus san áireamh leis sin tá máinliacht chíche agus teilealeigheas.  Forbairt ionaid ailse chuimsithigh a mbeidh creidiúnú Eorpach aige tríd an gclár taighde chomh maith le habhcóideacht a dhéanamh d’infreastruchtúr feabhsaithe do chóireáil ailse mar chuid de FSS an Iarthair agus an Iarthuaiscirt - ainmniúchán Ionad Ailse Ollscoil na Gaillimhe mar Ionad Ailse de chuid Eagraíocht Institiúidí Ailse na hEorpa (OECI).    Ceapacháin agus róil acadúla agus taighde lena n-áirítear Ceann na hOinceolaíochta Leighis; Stiúrthóir Eolaíochta; altraí do thrialacha cliniciúla; eolaithe iardhochtúireachta agus mic léinn PhD; scoláireachtaí samhraidh taighde ailse.   Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Caroline Loughnane, Cathaoirleach na hInstitiúide Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche: “An misean atá ag an Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche airgead a bhailiú chun tacú le taighde ailse chíche den chéad scoth a mbeidh fíorthionchar aige, agus tionchar intomhaiste, ar thorthaí d’othair le hailse chíche. Tá an-áthas orainn a bheith in ann an infheistíocht seo, arbh fhiú €4 mhilliún í, a dhéanamh sa chlár taighde ailse chíche in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe faoi stiúir an Ollaimh Michael Kerin agus a fhoireann. An toradh a mbítear ag súil leis ó thaighde ná fionnachtana nua, cóireálacha leighis níos éifeachtaí agus torthaí níos fearr d’othair atá ag fulaingt le hailse chíche. Tá an NBCRI ag tacú le taighde ar ailse chíche le breis agus tríocha bliain agus tá an-áthas orainn a bheith in ann cur lenár dtiomantas do chlár taighde ailse chíche in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus céim nua á tógáil aige mar ionad ailse le creidiúnú Eorpach i gcomhpháirtíocht le FSS an Iarthair agus an Iarthuaiscirt.”   Dúirt an tOllamh Michael Kerin, Ollamh le Máinliacht in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, Máinlia Comhairleach in Ospidéil na hOllscoile, Gaillimh agus Stiúrthóir Taighde NBCRI: “Tacóidh an maoiniú seo le clár cuimsitheach taighde agus tógann sé ar a bhfuil bainte amach, a bhuíochas le tacaíocht an NBCRI, i dtaighde ailse chíche, na géinte atá ina n-údar don ghalar, mar shampla, na bithmharcóirí atá in ann cúrsa an ghalair a thuar, agus léirmhíniú radaighníomhach níos fearr. Tá sé tar éis ligean dúinn cur le comhoibrithe cliniciúla agus taighde ar an oileán seo agus ar fud an domhain. Tá an fhoireann taighde thar a bheith buíoch dár mBord agus dár nOibrithe Deonacha a thugann an-tacaíocht agus spreagadh dúinn.   An toradh atá ar an gcaidreamh seanbhunaithe idir Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus an NBCRI ná isteach is amach le €8 milliún i bhfoirm maoiniú daonchairdiúil agus infheistíocht i dtaighde a bheith curtha ar fáil ó 2010 i leith d'Institiúid Lambe san Ollscoil.   Athdhearbhú is ea tiomantas nua seo an NBCRI ar an bhfócas atá ag an gcarthanas ar chur chuige a fhaigheann faisnéis ó thaighde féachaint le torthaí níos fearr a fháil d’othair.    Críoch