A chara, – The creation of 75 women-only professorships is a textbook example of how members of the higher socio-economic classes who have connections and influence in political and media circles can bend the the Government into making irrational and fiscally irresponsible decisions to their advantage, with all parties assuming the taxpayer will foot the substantial bill.
The Irish taxpayer already has an excellent record when it comes to lavishing money on senior academics.
Starting salaries for professors in the University of Leeds are €68,000, rising to €85,000. At Rotterdam, €68,000 rising to €120,000.
In the NUI, those figures are €117,000 and €158,000 respectively.
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So, this “equality” initiative – which will confer extraordinary largesse on 75 lucky women who will not have to even enter open and fair competition – will cost the taxpayer about €20 million per annum (when you include ancillary staff, pension, office, etc) or €200 million over the next decade.
If we were to choose, on a reasoned basis, an equality issue in Ireland we wanted to throw that type of money at, the issue of female professors would not be in the top 100.
Indeed, it would even be very low down the list of equality priorities in the education sector alone.
And yet that is where the resources are going. Why? – Is mise,
DAVE
SLATER,
Kilkea,
Kildare.