University of Galway report examines “mate crime”, safeguarding, and access to justice A major new research report examining the experiences of disabled people subjected to targeted exploitation and abuse in Ireland has been launched at University of Galway.  The report, Living Independently & Free from Targeted Abuse (LIFT): Understanding Mate Crime and the Experiences of Disabled People, presents findings from a national research project funded by Research Ireland in partnership with the Policing and Community Safety Authority.  The report examines the issue commonly referred to as “mate crime”, where individuals are befriended and manipulated for the purposes of exploitation, coercion, abuse, or criminal activity.  It highlights their experiences including financial exploitation, online targeting, misuse of accommodation, coercive control, sexual exploitation and barriers faced by disabled people when seeking support or reporting concerns. Participants in the research described experiences involving online scams, financial exploitation, grooming, coercion, social isolation and situations where individuals posing as friends gradually exploited trust. A recurring theme across the interviews and focus groups was that many participants did not initially recognise what was happening to them as abuse or exploitation, while others were reluctant to report experiences due to shame, fear of losing friendships or relationships, concerns about not being believed, or worries about Garda and justice system responses. Participants and stakeholders also identified the absence of a specific criminal offence or formal recognition of mate crime in Ireland as contributing to the issue remaining largely hidden. Participants described experiences of exploitation leading to financial hardship, loss of confidence, fear, emotional distress, social isolation, and significant negative impacts on independent living and participation in their community. Stakeholders and participants strongly agreed that the issue remains significantly underreported. Dr Charles O’Mahony, Associate Professor in the School of Law at University of Galway and Principal Investigator of the project, said: “This research highlights that many disabled people in Ireland are experiencing serious forms of exploitation and abuse that frequently remain hidden. What makes this particularly complex is that the abuse often develops within relationships presented as friendship, support, care, or trust. The findings demonstrate the need for better safeguarding responses, better awareness, a more accessible justice system, and greater community understanding of how mate crime can occur.”  Helen Hall, Chief Executive of the Policing and Community Safety Authority, said: “The PCSA is delighted to have funded this innovative project, which illustrates the value of bringing academics, practitioners and people with lived experience together to bring real insight into community safety issues. I hope that this research contributes to improving policing services for those at risk of exploitation and abuse by people they trust, by highlighting the need for greater awareness, improved reporting, and a consistent, effective and multi-agency response to a problem that is often invisible.”  Breda Golden, Head of Safeguarding, Corlann, said: “At Corlann, we see how disabled people can be placed at risk simply because they are seeking connection, support, or community. Disabled people in Ireland are being targeted, exploited, and harmed in ways that are too often dismissed or ignored. Mate crime is not a misunderstanding, it is abuse. We need increased awareness and coordinated safeguarding action so disabled people are no longer left to navigate danger alone. Corlann is proud to support this research.”  The research involved key interviews with stakeholders from disability services, advocacy organisations, safeguarding teams, policing, and the justice sector, alongside a national survey and focus groups with disabled people and people supporting individuals in the community across Ireland.  The report includes recommendations relating to disability awareness training, safeguarding legislation, accessible reporting mechanisms, online safety, and stronger coordination between disability organisations, advocacy groups, community services, and An Garda Síochána.  The launch event included a private screening of a short film developed in collaboration with Blue Teapot Theatre Company titled MateCrime. The film was informed directly by the lived experiences and themes emerging from the research.  Petal Pilley, Director at Blue Teapot Theatre Company, said: “On occasion complex social and world issues can be met by art and in the alchemy of that encounter be distilled into forms that communicate truths with immediacy beyond words. We hope this film is one such encounter.”  The event also featured discussion on safeguarding, disability rights, community safety, and access to justice for disabled people in Ireland.  The full report is available here.  Ends    

Ward & Burke Centre for Infrastructure Research and Innovation to be established as University unveils new Signature Partnership with company University of Galway has today announced the establishment of the Ward & Burke Centre for Infrastructure Research & Innovation following a significant investment from leading engineering multinational Ward & Burke. The investment is being made as part of a new Signature Partnership between Ward & Burke and the University, building on many years of research collaboration. The commitment from Ward & Burke - a world-leading engineering company, with its head office in Kilcolgan, Co Galway, will allow for significant advancement of research, impact and innovation in sustainable, intelligent and resilient infrastructure at the University. As part of the Signature Partnership, the new Ward & Burke Centre for Infrastructure Research & Innovation is being established to build on existing strengths at the University’s School of Engineering across civil and mechanical engineering, water and wastewater research, geotechnics, construction innovation and data driven engineering technologies. Some of the focus of the new research centre’s work will be on water systems, underground construction, climate resilience and digital engineering. Alongside the new research centre a new civil engineering professorship has been created, with Established Professor Brian Sheil, an alumnus of University of Galway, appointed as the first to hold the role. The research centre will be led by Professor Sheil and Professor Eoghan Clifford, Head of Civil Engineering. It will enable the University to attract new world-leading faculty, researchers, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students. The Signature Partnership with Ward & Burke will also see the establishment of a new, ambitious scholarship programme to build the pipeline of talented and innovative engineering students. Padraig Burke, Director at Ward & Burke, said: “We are delighted to build on our long-standing relationship with University of Galway through this investment in establishing the Ward & Burke Centre for Infrastructure Research & Innovation. At Ward & Burke, we’ve always believed that the future of engineering lies in solutions that are not just technically excellent but genuinely sustainable- from lowering carbon footprints to building infrastructure that stands the test of climate change. This Centre will accelerate collaboration between industry and research, helping to drive innovation that delivers real, long-term environmental and societal benefits. We’re proud to support this initiative and look forward to seeing the transformative impact it will have.” The Signature Partnership was unveiled at a day-long event hosted at University of Galway on the anniversary of the birthday of one of the University’s greatest engineering graduates, Michael Maurice O’Shaughnessy, whose distinguished legacy lives on in San Francisco through water, rail and other major infrastructure projects, as well as the Golden Gate Bridge. Professor David Burn, President of the University of Galway, highlighted the wider impact of the initiative: “This transformational philanthropic commitment from Ward & Burke marks a major milestone for University of Galway and for the future of civil and infrastructure engineering in Ireland. The new Ward & Burke Centre for Infrastructure Research & Innovation spans three of the University’s four research pillars and is a powerful demonstration of strategic investment in our people, teaching and research. By attracting world-leading faculty and establishing a new Civil Engineering Professorship, this partnership will educate the next generation of engineers and drive innovation with real-world impact.”             Professor Laoise McNamara, Head of the School of Engineering and incoming Vice-President Research and Innovation at University of Galway, said: “The establishment of the Ward and Burke Centre for Infrastructure Research & Innovation reflects the longstanding collaboration in research and education with the company and Civil Engineering at University of Galway. We are proud that Ward and Burke was founded by our engineering graduates who, over the past 25 years, have grown it into one of the most innovative infrastructure companies driving wastewater treatment, energy infrastructure and urban regeneration solutions worldwide. Today, the company employs more than 1,200 people, across Ireland, the UK, Canada and the US. The establishment of this Centre will enable us to recruit and develop world leading researchers and deliver impactful research, benefiting large-scale infrastructure projects in Ireland and internationally.” Ends

Research from University of Galway suggests that the impact of social media on the health and well-being of teenagers is less than is often feared.  While the study recognises that time spent on social media is linked to a range of health outcomes, the analysis reveals that its influence is relatively modest and smaller than what we assume. The analysis of surveys of teenagers also showed that the impact of social media was relatively small when compared to other social and environmental factors in young people’s lives. Professor Eoin Whelan, who led the research at University of Galway’s J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, said the study highlights the limitations of attributing teenage mental health and well-being primarily to social media use. Professor Whelan said: “The findings of this study are consistent with other prior studies which report that overall, the harmful effects of social media use on adolescent well-being may be smaller than often assumed.” The research, published in Acta Psychologica, shows that factors such as feeling safe in school, supportive relationships with parents and caregivers and financial ability to participate in activities are more important predictors of adolescent health outcomes. The study used data from almost 3,000 teenagers aged 15-16 who were living in the West of Ireland and who completed the Planet Youth survey. The analysis involved an advanced method known as specification curve analysis to examine more than 50,000 possible links between social media use and health outcomes. The study found that: Social media use is associated with small differences in adolescent health outcomes. Associations between social media use and mental health outcomes tended to be higher for girls, though the overall effect remained small. Spending more time on social media was most strongly linked to higher levels of anger difficulties in boys, and to alcohol use and vaping in both boys and girls, though these links were still relatively modest. Overall, social media use was not among the strongest predictors of adolescent health outcomes. Unlike much previous research, the study directly compares social media use with other known influences on adolescent health, such as school safety and parental support, allowing the relative importance of these factors to be assessed more clearly. The findings suggest that policymakers and caregivers may benefit from focusing on a broader range of factors affecting young people’s health, rather than treating social media as a primary cause of harm. The study also aligns with a recent consensus report from the American National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, which found insufficient evidence to conclude that social media causes changes in adolescent health across the wider teenage population. Professor Whelan continued: “While analysis of information reported by teenagers shows that the negative impact of social media may be overstated, this does not mean that social media is harmless or without risk. Social media can present risks for young people, and those do deserve attention.             “Although there have been thousands of studies investigating the impacts of social media on the lives of young people, we do not have a complete picture. Most research, like my own, has to rely on self-reported data, which has limitations. “To really find out how social media is impacting young people, researchers need access to data on how teenagers are actually using social media. The EU Digital Services Act requires online platforms to make this data available to vetted researchers.  However, the data held by social media companies is difficult to obtain, and when provided, is often incomplete. This hampers the independent scrutiny of the impact of social media platforms - one of the central goals of the Digital Services Act.” The full study, published in Acta Psychologica, is available to read here Ends