The confident transition year team from Clonakilty persuaded a panel of judges, which included scientists and a journalist, that “the entire population should be immunised against seasonal flu and potentially pandemic animal influenzas such as swine flu”. The team will go through to the national finals scheduled to take place in the Science Gallery, Dublin on April 15th 2010.

Debating Science Issues is a national Science Debating Competition co-ordinated by research and discovery centres on the island of Ireland and funded by the Wellcome Trust. The competition encourages young people to engage in debate on the cultural, societal and ethical implications of advances in biomedical science. Debates in the Munster region were co-ordinated by the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) and Tyndall National Institute, UCC. Munster schools taking part in the competition initially received 3-hour workshops for a group of 10-12 students to facilitate a discussion forum on the ethical issues raised by either Genetically Modified Food (delivered by the APC) or Nanotechnology (delivered by Tyndall). Schools teams then debated a motion related to the initial workshop in the regional heats. From there, the debating motions were circulated so that students could debate on an array of controversial topical issues including stem cell research, genetically modified food, health and self testing, nanotechnology, vaccination, and animal testing.

Participating teacher Mary Collins from Clonakilty Community College, welcoming the initiative said: “The experience has been invaluable in terms of developing the girls’ public speaking skills, their research skills and their scientific knowledge”.

Tyndall Outreach Officer, Aoife O’Donoghue commented: “It is great to see the students’ confidence in discussing contemporary scientific issues grow as the competition progresses.”

Munster has a strong record in the national finals with students from St Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, having won the national final of the competition in 2009 and Ballincollig Community School winning the first national final of the competition in 2008.

Picture: Mary Collins, Teacher, Christ the King Secondary School with Evelyn McSweeney and Lucy-Anne Edmunds of Clonakilty Community College. Back row standing: Ms Claire O’Sullivan, Senior News Reporter, The Irish Examiner, Dr Mary O’Mahony, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, Department of Public Health, HSE South, Dr Sally Cudmore, General Manager, APC, UCC, Dr Catherine Buckley, Education and Outreach Manager, APC, UCC and Ms Aoife O’Donoghue, Outreach Officer, Tyndall National Institute, UCC.

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