Madam, - The Minister for Education has asked universities to cut 3 per cent off their salary budgets.
May I suggest that they scrap all four schools of physiotherapy since the HSE, despite waiting lists and patients in pain, will not employ recently qualified physiotherapists.
Many young physiotherapists have already involuntarily emigrated, my own daughter included. Others are doing master's degrees in physiotherapy (and paying big fees) in the hope that the situation will change. It won't!
The Minister for Health set up a committee of the stakeholders to look at physiotherapy unemployment some months ago. Even more have emigrated since then.
I understand that most of this year's nursing graduates won't get work in nursing, not because they are not needed but because of the HSE budget obsession. So again, universities could close some of the nursing training schools.
Speech therapists and occupational therapists are also being trained but not employed in any significant numbers. So again, universities could close some training schools.
It is crazy that the taxpayer pays for these medical professionals and then does not benefit from their much-needed skills. - Yours, etc,
ENID O'DOWD,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
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Madam, - I am writing in relation to the front page article and Editorial (July 28th) which criticises the proposed 3 per cent funding cutbacks for third-level education.
It is the basis of this article that I find puzzling. Universities are already huge organisations, offering far too much quantity and too little quality in their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in my view, with many of the practical courses, such as those in the sciences, failing to incorporate significant industrial placement as part of the programme, with a resultant lack of experience upon graduation.
Surely, the cutting back of these courses would be a good thing, for the exchequer and for the students themselves. The article suggests that school-leavers have to get into university at all costs, but there are already far too many university graduates, with lofty qualifications, but with few employable skills or relevant experience. Surely, in times of economic austerity, such measures would seem prudent, freeing up finances to be used in more pressing areas. The Editorial was right to point out the risk to our global competitiveness, but it is the rise of prices and the cost of doing business here that will drive biotechnology and technology firms abroad in search of a cheaper operating base. Ireland has no monopoly on the quality of graduates and postgraduates, many countries have these now.
The cost of doing business here in the short term is what will make or break the economic future of this country. A reduction in the number of graduates or postgraduates will not really matter. - Yours, etc,
DESMOND NUGENT B.Sc., Ph.D,
Ballybane,
Galway.