Metro Herald - 03/12/2009 digital edition

D Thursday, December 3, 2009 METRO 11 A visitor reaches out to touch the worlds largest solid gold brick, which weighs 220kg, at the Jinguashi Gold Museum in Ruifang, Taipei Picture: AFP GOLD FINGERED Students in protest over Prof Bertie THE appointment of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern as a visiting professor at NUI Maynooth sparked student protests yesterday. About 1,200 people, including lectur- ers, signed a petition opposing the uni- versitys decision to invite Mr Ahern to take up the honorary, unpaid role. Free Education for Everyone spokes- man Donal Fallon spearheaded the cam- paign, with 250 people marching on uni- versity president Professor John Hughes office to deliver the petition. Mr Fallon attacked Mr Ahern over his handling of the economy and investiga- tion by the planning tribunal. If hundreds of students will show up merely to hand in a petition, how many will protest Berties physical presence here? he said. Our campus is not a place for Fianna Fil photoshoots, it is an academic insti- tution. But NUI Maynooth defended the ap- pointment of Mr Ahern as visiting pro- fessor in mediation and conflict studies. A spokesman said it was a reflection of the work Mr Ahern did in Northern Ire- land and on the European Unions Nice Treaty. NUI Maynooth students union is not supporting the action after repre- sentatives voted against it. Mr Ahern was appointed Honorary Ad- junct Professor to the School of Business and Law in March. He will give an inau- gural lecture but no date has been set. Mr Ahern was invited to bring personal experience to the post along with Defence Forces Chief of Staff Dermot Earley and Labour Relations Commis- sion chief executive Kieran Mulvey. In an interview last weekend, MrAhern said critics who blame the Government for the economic crisis should dig the garden or grow bluebells or do some- thing useful. BY ED CARTY The third degree: Bertie Ahern COMing up: BishOps aT lOggERhEads OvER REpORT: page 14 index.html 2.html 3.html 4.html 5.html 6.html 7.html 8.html 9.html 10.html 11.html 12.html 13.html 14.html 15.html 16.html 17.html 18.html 19.html 20.html 21.html 22.html 23.html 24.html 25.html 26.html 27.html 28.html 29.html 30.html 31.html 32.html 33.html 34.html 35.html