Heated argument

The UCC president wanted to discuss how to help gifted students but could have framed his words more wisely, says Education Correspondent Niall Murray

WHEN Michael Murphy decided it was time to kickstart a debate on supports for the most academically gifted students a little over three weeks ago, he could hardly have anticipated the level of engagement that has followed.

At a breakfast event for Cork’s business leaders, the president of the city’s university chimed the expected bells about the underfunding of higher education and echoed complaints of fellow third-level leaders about unfair Government interference in the day-to-day running of their colleges.