Madam, – Thomas O Brien’s response (March 31st) to Paddy Healy’s letter (March 29th) is incredibly naive and sadly, like many policy makers in this country, lacking in vision. If, as he implies, we are not investing to build the next generation of academics, then past investment and everything we have worked for stops after this generation. If nobody who obtains a PhD in Ireland is to remain in academia, who is supposed to train the next generation of scientists? Who forms the foundation for building our world reputation in science?
I speak from experience in saying that Irish industry (and industries worldwide) seek countries with a strong academic background in research in order to collaborate and support their own activities. If the best and brightest have to leave academia under Dr O Brien’s vision, then Ireland will be rapidly drained of talent and support for academic-industrial collaboration, a sad future for Ireland that, unfortunately, is likely to happen. – Yours, etc,