University of Galway has today announced Professor Becky Whay has been appointed Deputy President and Registrar. Professor Whay takes on the role on a permanent basis having served in an interim position since September 2024. The appointment was confirmed by the University’s Governing Authority - Údarás na hOllscoile. President of University of Galway, Professor David Burn, said: “Professor Whay brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role of Deputy President and Registrar, along with a deep commitment to University of Galway’s mission and values, having acted in an Interim capacity since September 2024. “Professor Whay has a distinguished academic record as a researcher and educator and having served previously as Vice President International, her understanding of the higher education landscape at home and abroad will be of great benefit.” Deputy President and Registrar, Professor Whay, said: “It is a genuine privilege to be appointed as Deputy President and Registrar here at University of Galway. I look forward to the opportunities as well as the challenges ahead as we work to deliver on our strategy ‘Of Galway – for the World’. I’m absolutely committed to supporting our academics and ensuring the highest standards for our students, as well as being instrumental in the continuing development of our university for the public good.”    Bio of Professor Whay As Deputy President and Registrar, Professor Whay is a member of the University Management Team and Academic Council; deputises for the President in his absence; and has overarching responsibility for academic strategy and quality, academic promotions, complex organisational transformation projects and is the University’s sustainability champion.  Professor Becky Whay joined University of Galway in 2019 when appointed Vice-President International. In May 2024, she was reappointed to that role for a second term, with much of the focus on leading out on our International Strategy, which is central to the University of Galway Strategy 2030 and on the second phase of the European University Alliance- ENLIGHT.  In September 2024, Professor Whay was appointed to the role of Deputy President and Registrar on an interim basis.  In this interim role Professor Whay has provided continuity through a period of significant change, has provided leadership for a number of complex projects and has set the direction for the ongoing delivery of flagship successes including maintaining the university’s leading position in sustainability, the building of the new Dr Karen Guinee Library and establishing an Organisational Transformation Office. Professor Becky Whay previously worked at the University of Bristol, which is part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities and is ranked 57th in the world under the QS World Rankings and 5th in the UK for Research. She also held the post of Director of Internationalisation for the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Bristol, a large, research-intensive faculty supporting the University’s medical, dental and veterinary schools. At the same time, she shared the Head of School responsibilities for Bristol Veterinary School and led the School through a period of substantial change culminating in a successful bid for American Veterinary Medical Association accreditation. Professor Whay has an international reputation for her research into dairy cattle and working equine welfare and works in areas of the world where human animal interdependency is critical to family livelihoods. She was the inaugural President of the International Society for the Study of Lameness in Ruminants and has Chaired the Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association. In 2015, she was recipient of the CEVA Farm Animal Welfare of the Year award. Ends

D’fhógair Ollscoil na Gaillimhe inniu gurb í an tOllamh Becky Whay atá á ceapadh mar Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí. Glacann an tOllamh Whay leis an ról go buan tar éis di a bheith ag feidhmiú ar bhonn eatramhach ó Mheán Fómhair 2024. Dheimhnigh Údarás na hOllscoile an ceapachán inné. Dúirt Uachtarán Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh David Burn: “Bhí an tOllamh Whay ag gníomhú sa ról seo i gcáil eatramhach ó Mheán Fómhair 2024 agus i ngeall air sin tá an-tuiscint agus taithí aici a oirfidh don ról seo, mar aon le tiomantas láidir do mhisean agus do luachanna Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. "Tá iomrá ar an Ollamh Whay sa saol acadúil, mar thaighdeoir agus mar oide araon agus mar gheall ar an tréimhse atá caite aici mar Leas-Uachtarán Idirnáisiúnta roimhe seo, beidh an tuiscint atá aici ar thírdhreach an ardoideachais in Éirinn agus thar lear ina buntáiste mór.” Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí, an tOllamh Whay: “Is mór an phribhléid dom é a bheith ceaptha mar Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí anseo in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Táim ag tnúth leis na deiseanna chomh maith leis na dúshláin atá romhainn agus muid ag obair chun ár straitéis ‘Lonnaithe i nGaillimh, ag freastal ar an Domhan Mór’ a chur i gcrích. Táim go hiomlán tiomanta tacaíocht a thabhairt don fhoireann acadúil agus na caighdeáin is airde a chinntiú dár gcuid mac léinn, chomh maith le ról lárnach a ghlacadh i bhforbairt leanúnach na hollscoile ar mhaithe le leas an phobail.”      Beathaisnéis an Ollaimh Whay Mar Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí, tá an tOllamh Whay ina ball d’Fhoireann Bainistíochta na hOllscoile agus den Chomhairle Acadúil; déanann sí ionadaíocht thar ceann an Uachtaráin nuair a bhíonn sé as láthair; agus tá freagracht fhoriomlán uirthi as an straitéis acadúil agus as feabhas acadúil, as arduithe céime acadúla, as tionscadail claochlaithe eagraíochta chasta agus is í curadh inbhuanaitheachta na hOllscoile í.  Thosaigh an tOllamh Becky Whay ag obair in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe sa bhliain 2019 nuair a ceapadh ina Leas-Uachtarán: Idirnáisiúnta í. I mí na Bealtaine 2024, athcheapadh í sa ról sin don dara téarma, agus díríodh den chuid is mó ar an Straitéis Idirnáisiúnta a stiúradh, atá lárnach i Straitéis Ollscoil na Gaillimhe 2030, agus ar an dara céim den Líonra Ollscoileanna Eorpacha – ENLIGHT.  I Meán Fómhair 2024, ceapadh an tOllamh Whay ina hUachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí ar bhonn eatramhach.  Sa ról eatramhach seo, thug an tOllamh Whay leanúnachas le linn tréimhse ina raibh athruithe suntasacha ar bun, bhí sí i gceannas ar roinnt tionscadal casta agus leag sí amach an treo fadtéarmach do mhórthionscnaimh ar leith. Ina measc siúd tá seasamh ceannródaíoch na hollscoile san inbhuanaitheacht a choinneáil, Leabharlann nua an Dr Karen Guinee a thógáil agus an Oifig do Chlaochlú Eagraíochta a bhunú. D’oibrigh an tOllamh Becky Whay in Ollscoil Bhriostó roimhe seo, ollscoil atá mar chuid de Ghrúpa ollscoileanna clúiteacha Russell agus atá sa 57ú háit ar domhan de réir Ranguithe QS an Domhain agus sa 5ú háit sa Ríocht Aontaithe le haghaidh Taighde. Bhí post aici freisin mar Stiúrthóir Idirnáisiúnaithe i nDámh na nEolaíochtaí Sláinte in Ollscoil Bhriostó, dámh mhór, dhiantaighde a chuimsíonn scoileanna leighis, fiaclóireachta agus tréidliachta na hOllscoile. Ag an am céanna, roinn sí freagrachtaí an Chinn Scoile i Scoil Tréidliachta Bhriostó agus threoraigh sí an Scoil trí thréimhse inar tharla athruithe móra agus inar éirigh leo creidiúnú a bhaint amach le Veterinary Medical Association Mheiriceá. Tá cáil idirnáisiúnta ar an Ollamh Whay as a cuid taighde ar eallach déiríochta agus ar leas eachaí oibre agus oibríonn sí i limistéir den domhan ina bhfuil idirspleáchas ainmhithe daonna ríthábhachtach don tslí mhaireachtála a bhíonn ag teaghlaigh. Bhí sí ina céad Uachtarán ar an International Society for the Study of Lameness in Ruminants agus bhí sí ina Cathaoirleach ar an Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association. In 2015, bronnadh gradam CEVA uirthi as Leas Ainmhithe Feirme. Críoch

A major research review of the Disability Act 2005, the State’s principal disability law, has found that it no longer reflects the modern standards for disability rights and requires significant reform to deliver greater accountability, participation and equality.  The report was carried out by University of Galway and launched today (Thursday June 25th) at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in Dublin.  The review states that reform of disability rights is necessary to align Irish law with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).  The Disability Act 2005 at 21: Reflecting, Reforming, Reimagining was produced by Professor Shivaun Quinlivan and Dr Charles O’Mahony at University of Galway’s School of Law, with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Communicating Europe Initiative.  Drawing on a national survey, stakeholder engagement, and critical legal analysis, the report concludes that the Disability Act 2005 reflects an approach focused more on administrative and policy responsibilities than on legally enforceable rights.  The report states that many of the Act’s core provisions remain constrained by weak enforcement mechanisms, limited accountability and the absence of effective remedies where statutory obligations are not fulfilled.  It also identifies a number of key reform priorities including: Transforming the Assessment of Need process for disabled people into an enforceable entitlement framework, creating clearer rights to services and supports and stronger accountability for their delivery Strengthening accessibility obligations Updating protections relating to genetic testing and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence Embedding the principles of the UN CRPD directly into Irish law  Professor Shivaun Quinlivan, University of Galway School of Law and one of the authors of the report, said: “The only enforceable entitlement in the the Assessment of Need process, the assessment itself, has failed to deliver the transformation promised in 2005. While the legislation creates a right to assess need, it does not create a corresponding enforceable right to receive the services identified. The result is a framework that frequently records unmet need without remedying it. Long waiting times, resource constraints, litigation, and persistent implementation failures have significantly weakened confidence in the system.  “The Programme for Government commitment to reform reflects an acknowledgement that the current framework has not delivered for many disabled people and their families. The question now is not whether reform is necessary, but whether Ireland is prepared to move from a system of administrative discretion for the HSE to one of enforceable rights and accountability consistent with the United Nations approach/standards.”  Dr Charles O’Mahony said: “What struck us most throughout this project was not just the scale of frustration with the Disability Act 2005, but the extraordinary clarity, insight, and determination of disabled people and their families about what needs to change. Across the research, the national survey and conference, people spoke powerfully about the gap between rights promised and rights realised, between policy commitments and what living in Ireland as a disabled person is like. Participants in the research spoke with hope, ambition, and a vision for a more inclusive and fair Ireland.”  The launch comes at a pivotal moment as a nationwide consultation on the future of the Disability Act 2005 is being conducted by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, marking the first comprehensive review of the legislation since its enactment more than twenty years ago. It runs until September 9th.  The researchers hope the report will serve as a practical resource for disabled people, Disabled Persons’ Organisations, representative bodies, advocates, policymakers, and public bodies preparing submissions to the Government consultation process.   Professor Quinlivan said: “The consultation recently announced by Government is an important first step. However, the international evidence and stakeholder feedback gathered through this research project tells us that meaningful reform requires disabled people not simply to be consulted, but to be actively involved in shaping, leading, monitoring, and evaluating the reform process itself.”  See here for information on the Government consultation process.  The full report The Disability Act 2005 at 21: Reflecting, Reforming, Reimagining is available here.  Ends