Irish Centre for Migration Studies
You will be aware that on Monday, June 23 a previous article on the closure of the Irish Centre for Migration Studies also contained a number of inaccuracies and that you published a letter correcting them.
I am mainly concerned with the following new inaccuracies in the later article: (a) The third paragraph stated that ‘academic figures have indicated that no decisions have been made, although there is a danger that a number of units could close’. This is incorrect. A decision confirming the closure of the centre was taken by the president of UCC in late May 2003 and copied to me in writing at the time. (b) Of more concern, the article stated that the centre ‘remains one of the most heavily subsidised research centres, believed to have cost about 150,000 last year’. This statement appears to suggest that the centre was in debt or needed to be subsidised to the tune of 150,000 in the year 2002.
While I have no doubt that this information was published in good faith, it is grossly incorrect. The centre was very nearly solvent in the financial year ending September 2002 and it is inaccurate to claim that the centre is, or was at that time, ‘one of the most heavily subsidised research centres’ on campus.
My colleagues and I have worked tirelessly for six years to develop the work of the Irish Centre for Migration Studies. During that time we have raised very substantial funding. Although we have never been entirely self-funding, I know of no other such centre in Ireland which could function on an entirely self-funding basis either, and I am very confident that UCC got value for money. Most of those working in the centre brought their own funding with them, the deficit was relatively small and the research into immigration and integration concerned issues which are, by common consent, of major importance in Ireland today.
Piaras Mac Éinrí,
Director, Irish Centre for Migration
Studies at UCC.
