Policy makers should not heed Dr Murphy

THERE was only one thing more worrying than some of the views expressed by UCC president Dr Michael Murphy, in your paper (Dec 21), amongst these:

* Pressure to provide college places for disadvantaged students has triggered an exodus of Ireland‘s brightest school-leavers to study abroad.

* The price for widening third level access was the inability of colleges to provide the best education for top students.

That is the view expressed in your editorial that “it would be a real tragedy if we did not listen to him and take his advice”. Unfortunately, the real tragedy for this country would be if anyone did take his advice — close access to higher education for disadvantaged communities in order to support the “high fliers”.

I, for one, urge our policy makers to give Dr Murphy “the deaf ear”.

Pat Hoey

O’Callaghan Strand

Limerick