Pupils from a number of selected Galway City primary schools are to be honoured for their participation in the 'Sport for Success' programme in NUI Galway, designed to encourage pupils in disadvantaged areas to continue their education right up to and including third level. Mr John O'Donoghue, TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, will present certificates to pupils from St. Michael's Boys School, Mervue; Holy Trinity Girls School, Mervue; and Scoil Bhríde, Shantalla, who have completed the programme, during a special ceremony at the Ó Flaherty Theatre, Arts/Science Building on Thursday, 23rd March, 2006, at 7.30pm. 'Sport for Success,' part of NUI Galway's Access programme since 2002, is a combined sport and homework initiative that promotes third level education and the value of education itself, as well as improving sporting techniques and skills. On one afternoon each week over the spring term, pupils from 4th, 5th and 6th class come into the University where Access students and Access university under-graduates provide help and guidance with homework. On completion of that task, the pupils can then enjoy an hour of popular sports such as soccer and basketball. They learn new sports such as uni-hockey, climbing on the climbing well, Tai-Bo, spinning and juggling. According to Imelda Byrne, NUI Galway's Access Officer: "The 'Sport for Success' programme contributes to the overall Access Mission of the University which is to support greater equality of opportunity for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is an excellent opportunity to introduce children and also, very importantly, their parents and the wider community to the University, which is committed to offering participants a chance to spread their wings in their journey as life-long learners." Professor Ger Hurley, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs said: "The University has demonstrated its commitment to advancing the educational, social, economic and cultural needs of the Western region through outreach initiatives such as "Sports for Success". The children are learning the importance of links between health and fitness, of teamwork through sport, and of the importance of good nutritional practices. Most importantly, the children are making connections to the University and are gaining the motivation to continue these activities and their education into adult life."

NUI Galway is pleased to announce that Mr Michael D. Higgins, TD, Labour Party President and Galway West TD, has been appointed as Adjunct Professor at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. Announcing the appointment, NUI Galway President Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh said Mr Higgins' impressive record in defense of human rights made his new role at the centre one which would further enhance his long association with the University. Professor William Schabas, Director of the IRCH, welcomed the appointment: "We are thrilled that such an important and influential personality in the area of human rights within Ireland will be working with us so closely", he said. Throughout his career, Deputy Higgins has campaigned for human rights and written extensively about conflicts in many parts of the world, including such areas as Turkey, Western Sahara, Nicaragua, Chile, Gaza, The West Bank, Peru, El Salvador, Iraq and Somalia. His human rights campaigning work was recognized internationally when he became the first recipient of the Seán MacBride Peace Prize of the International Peace Bureau in Helsinki in 1992. A graduate of National University of Ireland Galway, Michael D. Higgins received the University's AIB Alumni Award for Literature, Communications and the Arts and continues to play an active role in campus life. ENDS

Bhronn an Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil (EPA) breis is €1 mhilliún ar an Institiúid um Athrú Comhshaoil, OÉ, Gaillimh ar mhaithe le mórthionscadal taighde a scrúdóidh caighdeán uisce agus an bhaint a bhíonn aige le sláinte an duine. 'Sláinte an Duine a fheabhsú trí Chaighdeán níos fearr Uisce' is teideal don chlár taighde idirdhisciplíneach a thugann le chéile eolaithe, dochtúirí agus innealtóirí ó OÉ, Gaillimh; ó Choláiste an hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath; agus ón Roinn Sláinte Poiblí, Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhísí Sláinte - An tIarthar. Ag 10.30am Déardaoin, 16 Márta 2006, san Institiúid um Athrú Comhshaoil (ECI) a sheolfar an clár. Scrúdóidh an clár taighde, arb é atá ann ná sraith tionscadail idirnasctha, an bhaint atá ag soláthar an uisce óil agus infhabhtú Cripteaspóiridiam in Iarthar na hÉireann, agus tionchar cúinsí séasúracha agus comhshaoil ar chaighdeán an uisce talún. Scrúdóidh ceann amháin de na tionscadail modhanna a thabharfaidh le fios an dramhaíl ón duine nó ó ainmhithe is cúis leis an truailliú, agus tiocfaidh sé ar mhodhanna a dhéanfaidh amach cén uair is dóichí a tharlóidh truailliú i soláthairtí uisce. Scrúdóidh an clár, leis, uisce óil, uisce snámha agus uisce dramhaíola, féachaint an bhfuil iarmhair antaibheathach agus baictéir atá frithsheasmhach i gcoinne antaibheathach iontu. Dúirt an tOllamh Martin Cormican, ó Roinn na Baictéareolaíochta i Scoil Leighis OÉ, Gaillimh agus an príomhthaighdeoir, gur deis mhór é an staidéar le cur lenár dtuiscint ar an gceangal idir an úsáid, nó an mí-úsáid ar uairibh, a bhainimid as uisce agus ár sláinte. "Braithimid ar uisce sna tithe againn, sa tionsclaíocht agus san fheirmeoireacht chun nithe a ghlanadh agus dramhaíl a sciobadh leis agus d'fhéadfadh sé sin dul isteach sa chomhshaol. Ar an láimh eile, le go mbeadh saol fada sócmhar againn, ní mór dúinn tarraingt ar an uisce glan atá sábháilte le hól ón gcomhshaol céanna sin. Má táimid chun an dá thrá a fhreastal, ní mór dúinn córais a chur i bhfeidhm a chinnteoidh nach n-ólfaimid amárach an ní a chaithaimid amach inniu." Agus é ag labhairt ag an seoladh, is é a dúirt Leas-Ardstiúrthóir an EPA, an Dr Pádraic Larkin: "Is tionscadal taighde ríthábhachtach don EPA é an tionscadal seo a thugann le chéile grúpa ilghnéitheach taighdeoirí den scoth ó na heolaíochtaí comhshaoil agus sláinte le hoibriú ar an gceist fhíorthábhachtach seo d'Éirinn. Táim ag súil go mbainfear leas as torthaí an tionscadail seo amach anseo chun an caighdeán is airde uisce is féidir a chur ar fáil in Éirinn." Is é a dúirt an tOllamh Emer Colleran, Stiúrthóir an ECI: "Tá an-áthas ar an ECI gur éirigh leis an maoiniú nach beag taighde seo a fháil ón EPA – gníomhaireacht a aithníonn an buntáiste a bhaineann le saineolaithe a thabhairt le chéile ó réimsí an taighde comhshaoil agus sláinte. Tá gá le cur chuige ildisciplíneach i leith an taighde chun ár n-acmhainn uisce a chosaint agus chun soláthairtí uisce a chur ar fáil. Tabharfaidh an tionscadal seo taighdeoirí le chéile ó dhisciplíní éagsúla i dtionscadal faoi leith a bheidh dírithe ar chaighdeán an uisce in Éirinn a fheabhsú." Ó bunaíodh an ECI, d'éirigh leis an bhfoireann acadúil a bhfuil baint acu leis an taighde maoiniú os cionn €30 milliún a fháil ó fhoinsí náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta. I dteannta bheith ag tacú go fadtréimhseach le taighde comhshaoil in OÉ, Gaillimh, tá an ECI ag tabhairt tacaíochta do chúrsaí comhshaoil atá seanbhunaithe agus ag cuidiú le cúrsaí nua fochéime agus iarchéime a chur le chéile. CRÍOCH

The Environmental Change Institute, NUI Galway, has been awarded over €1 million in funding by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a major research project to investigate water quality and its relationship to human health. 'Enhancing Human Health through Improved Water Quality' is an interdisciplinary research programme that brings together scientists, doctors and engineers from NUI Galway, University College Dublin and the Department of Public Health, Health Services Executive-West. It will be launched by the EPA at 10.30am on Thursday 16th March 2006 at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI). The programme of research, which is a series of linked projects, will examine the relationship between drinking water supply and the occurrence of Cryptosporidium infection in the West of Ireland, and the effect of seasonal and environmental factors on ground water quality. One of the projects will investigate methods to show if contamination of water comes from human or animal waste, and determine methods to predict when contamination of water supplies is most likely to happen. The programme will also examine drinking water, bathing water and waste water for antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria. Professor Martin Cormican, from the Department of Bacteriology at NUI Galway's Medical School and lead researcher, said the study represented a major opportunity to improve our understanding of the link between our use, or sometimes misuse, of water and our health. "We depend on water in our homes, in industry and in farming to clean and flush away waste which may end up in our environment. On the other hand, to live long and to live well, we need to draw from that same environment water that is clean and safe to drink. If we want to do both of these things with water, we need to put in place systems to make sure that we do not drink tomorrow what we flush away today." Speaking at the launch, Deputy Director General of the EPA Dr Padraic Larkin said: "This is a key research project for the EPA which brings together a diverse group of leading researchers from environment and health sciences to work on this critical issue for Ireland. I look forward to the results of this project being utilised in the future to deliver the highest possible quality of water in Ireland". Professor Emer Colleran, Director of the ECI said: "The ECI is delighted with its success in attracting this significant research funding from the EPA who recognise the benefit of bringing together experts in the fields of environmental and health research. Protection of our water bodies and provision of water supplies require a multidisciplinary research approach. The project will link together researchers from different disciplines in a unique project focused on the improvement of water quality in Ireland." Since the establishment of the ECI, academic staff associated with the research programme has attracted over €30m in additional funding from both national and international sources. In addition to the long-term support of environmental research at NUI Galway, the ECI is continuing to support existing environmental courses and is contributing to the development of new undergraduate and postgraduate courses. ENDS

NUI Galway's Alumni Association has announced a memorial arts award in honour of the late Jerome Hynes, one of the University's most distinguished graduates who passed away last year. The Jerome Hynes Award for Best One Act Play recognises the outstanding contribution Jerome Hynes (BA 1980, HDip in Ed 1981, LLB 1988) made to the Arts both nationally and internationally as Chief Executive of Wexford Festival Opera for 17 years and as a member of An Chomhairle Ealaion/The Arts Council. The award is presented during the University's Springtime Arts Festival, Múscailt. The inaugural Jerome Hynes Award for Best One Act Play, sponsored by the University's Alumni Association, was presented by Alma Hynes, Jerome s widow, to the cast and crew of Basin of Myself, an original play written, directed and performed entirely by NUI Galway students. The play was one of 10 performed as part of this year's Múscailt Festival. The presentation piece was created by the renowned sculptor John Coll, a former winner of the NUI Galway Alumni Award for Literature, Communication and the Arts. The University has also commissioned a larger piece by John Coll in memory of Jerome, which will be unveiled in the Bank of Ireland Theatre later this year.