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Scealta sláinte: Stories of people living with long-term conditions
No full textScealta Sláinte, Health Stories, presents a selection of stories told about living well with long-term conditions. Sometimes people have the same “diagnosis”, but ultimately everyone’s experience is unique. There are many circumstances contributing to how people’s conditions are perceived and managed. As healthcare professionals, it is our duty to make sure people with chronic conditions feel supported throughout their journey with the disease.This book is the outcome of a project funded by the University of Galway’s Office of the Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (OVPEDI) under the “Widening Participation” initiative
Beyond bandages: Modernising care for patients with venous leg ulcers
No full text[No abstract available
Towards a conceptualization of data rhythm: An assemblage-based approach
No full textThis research-in-progress introduces the concept of data rhythm to explore how digital data both shapes and is shaped by organizational rhythms. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s theory of assemblage, the study responds to the need for more nuanced temporal concepts in Information Systems (IS) research. This paper argues that rhythm, as understood within process philosophy, can offer a fruitful lens for understanding the temporal dynamics of data use. Based on fieldwork in a European law enforcement agency, the study proposes four preliminary propositions for conceptualizing data rhythm, illustrating, for instance, how conflicting rhythms between operational, investigative, and IT units affect data-driven efforts. The police context highlights how data is embedded in sociotechnical rhythms that are both emergent and uneven. The study contributes a theoretical and methodological starting point for examining rhythm as a temporal phenomenon in data-intensive organizations and outlines a research agenda for future empirical and conceptual development.This publication has emanated from research jointly funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland under Grant number 13/RC/2094_2, and co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The study was co-funded by the Research Council of Norway (grant number 321477)
‘A Throng Like Crystal’: The medieval perception of the Tuatha Dé Danann in the Lebor Gabála Érenn and their use as a political tool in the long Middle Ages
No full textThis thesis examines the Tuatha Dé Danann as observed in the Lebor Gabála Érenn tradition, as well as the perception of these mythological beings in the early to late Middle Ages. Incorporating a wide range of evidence, and with consideration of euhemerist interpretation of pagan figures, it argues that Latin learning and the politics of international identity building shaped the presentation of the Tuatha Dé Danann in the earliest extant Lebor Gabála Érenn versions. Further, the thesis proposes that territorial disputes at a provincial level are responsible for the evolution of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Lebor Gabála Érenn versions of the later Middle Ages, with conflicting accounts of these mythological figures being reflective of counterattacks on attempts by dynasties to claim descent from the Tuatha Dé Danann. Finally, the thesis posits that the Tuatha Dé Danann were a valuable political tool in the Middle Ages, but that this was not because of a divine status; it was due to a euhemerist interpretation that presented pagan ‘gods’ as being historical mortal people who would later be erroneously regarded as gods due to their exceptional accomplishments and contributions to a land
Generating functions for the Casimir invariants of simple lie algebras
No full textIn this thesis we consider the theory of finite-dimensional, complex, simple Lie algebras, their irreducible representations and Casimir operators. We review the classification of these simple Lie algebras and an overview of constructions of characters of their representations, including Klimyk’s formula for decomposing tensor products of irreducible representations. We describe a new efficient method for evaluating the characters of irreducible representations using Freudenthal’s formula and present the characters of each fundamental representation of the simple Lie algebras. We review Okubo’s formula for calculating the eigenvalues of general degree Casimir operators on irreducible representations. Using Klimyk’s formula and Okubo’s formula, we obtain a new formula for efficiently calculating these eigenvalues. We apply our result to derive closed expressions for the generating functions of these eigenvalues for the first fundamental representations of the classical Lie algebras
Classification of system dynamics model outputs using decision trees
No full textClassification of behaviours generated by mathematical models such as an ODE is an important component in modelling fields including System Dynamics. Useful for model validation, and investigation into the parameters which drive the different behaviours, a machine learning model based on a decision tree is a valuable way to interpret the behaviours returned. This research presents the creation of categorical attributes for the classification of model outputs into 13 behaviours. With a pre-given training set, it allows for the classification of unlabelled data, with hyper-parameters which can be changed for fine-tuning depending on the model presented. Where asymptotic model outputs may cause difficulty, a user-defined threshold value is available. Tested using empirical data, the results show a strong improvement on the previously available methods for behaviour classification of System Dynamics model outputs, and demonstrated using F1 scores. Our method has general applicability for classification of all time series data.peer-reviewe
Marine pollution: Vessel source pollution
No full textThis was another busy year for states and the international shipping community to work on marine environmental protection in the context of marine pollution from vessels. The developments on this issue happened under the auspice of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)—particularly, its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). This period covered two important MEPC sessions—that is, the eighty-first and eighty-second sessions, held on 18–22 March and 30 September–4 October, respectively. Each session took place in both in-person and hybrid capabilities mode. The reach of MEPC works for vessel source pollution has become much wider in scope due to different pressing demands and circumstances surrounding the shipping industry. In this report, the meetings concentrated on the works relating to: (i) the 1973 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), as modified by the 1978 Protocol; (ii) Energy Efficiency, Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions; (iii) the 2004 International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention); and (iv) Other Developments Relating to Vessel Source Pollution
Evaluating, benchmarking, and reducing embodied carbon of deep retrofit homes with significant extension: Irish case studies
No full textExisting buildings contribute nearly 40 % of Europe's overall energy usage and represent about 36 % of the related greenhouse gas emissions from energy. Thus, the governments set retrofit targets for residential and non-residential buildings. The European Union has recently projected to transition from net-zero energy buildings to zero-carbon buildings by 2030, expanding the current building environmental performance standards to include embodied and operational carbon emissions. The study highlights the embodied carbon (EC) emissions linked to materials used in the deep retrofit measures for homes in Ireland. The research developed a novel methodology for evaluating the EC in deep retrofitted homes with defined benchmarks based on the results of the case studies. The findings show that the upfront and the whole-life EC averages of the deep retrofitted homes in Ireland are 347 and 662 kgCO2e/m2, respectively. These averages represent a benchmark for the current market practice and a starting point for developing EC reduction targets for upcoming projects. The study developed a methodology for reducing the EC of the retrofitted homes during the design stage through a group of material substitution scenarios for the most impactful materials in the case studies. Eleven materials were replaced with low-carbon alternatives available in the Irish market, resulting in an average of 23 % and 20 % reductions in the upfront and the whole-life EC emissions, respectively. Ultimately, the study is a guide for the retrofitting specialists to evaluate and compare the EC of their designs with the developed benchmarks, with solutions to achieve the reduction targets.This work was supported by Construct Innovate Ireland [Grant number: CISFC1-23_0018]
Corruption, intimidation, and organisational wrongdoing: The cross-country comparison of whistleblowing policy as potent antidotes
No full textWhistleblowers hold a distinctive place in modern society, representing both the archetype of the hero and the figure of the prophet. There is a consensus among scholars that whistleblowing is one of the most effective tools to combat corruption and wrongdoings in every organisation, and arguably, whistleblowers are vital elements that keep our society safe. However, whether whistleblower protection laws are in place or not, many of these individuals suffer consequences for speaking up. Whistleblower reward schemes are widely believed to be more effective in mitigating personal risks associated with whistleblowing. Different jurisdictions have recently passed various laws aimed at improving the protection of whistleblowers, and some have introduced reward schemes to enhance their willingness to report. Evidence about the effectiveness of such legislation is, however, scarce in the literature. While research in this area has focused on the various types of retaliation suffered by whistleblowers, it has also overwhelmingly focused on Western and Anglo-Saxon countries for decades. This study concentrates on Nigeria and Ireland as case study countries and provides a fair viewpoint on the experiences of whistleblowers in both the global north and south countries, thereby contributing significantly to the whistleblowing literature.
This thesis examines the impact of whistleblower protection legislation on ethical reporting in Nigeria and Ireland, addressing three key questions: its influence on reporting intentions, why laws fail to remedy retaliation, and the role of incentive programs in motivating individuals to report wrongdoing. Using a theoretical framework grounded in organisational justice and power relations theories, I analysed 25 semi-structured interviews; six court-decided whistleblower case laws in Nigeria and Ireland; and 148 responses to a qualitative survey of whistleblower reward schemes administered across 22 countries in Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia to explore how cultural, institutional, and legal contexts affect whistleblowing outcomes.
Key findings reveal that Nigeria's 2016 whistleblowing policy, initially successful due to financial incentives, failed due to unenforced protections, institutional corruption, and cultural stigma, exposing whistleblowers to severe retaliation risks like job loss. In contrast, Ireland, under the Protected Disclosures Act (2014, amended 2022), some whistleblower experienced covert retaliation (e.g., career stagnation) and societal perceptions of whistleblowers as “troublemakers”, highlighting shortcomings in legislative implementation. Both examples show that legislation alone is insufficient without cultural alignment, institutional support, and enforcement.
The thesis advances theoretical understanding by proposing the Retaliation Paradox Theory, which posits that in situations with weak enforcement and strong power imbalances, protective laws might inadvertently heighten retaliation risks. Similarly, the thesis contributions include advancing the retaliation literature by highlighting the weaponization of spiritual practices, like Voodoo, to silence whistleblowers. Financial incentives, while temporarily effective, require integration with safeguards (anonymity, legal support) to mitigate perceived risks. These findings contribute to both the literatures on whistleblower protection and reward schemes by providing new empirical evidence and conceptual insights to the field of whistleblowing scholarship. It also contributes to practice by offering actionable guidelines to policymakers, managers in organisations, and civil society actors on how to improve whistleblower protections, promote transparency, and strengthen ethical accountability.Hardiman Scholarship, University of Galwa
Advances in multi-objective reinforcement learning with applications to energy management
No full textMulti-Objective Reinforcement Learning (MORL) has become increasingly important for real-world applications such as energy management, where multiple, often conflicting objectives must be optimized simultaneously. However, the deployment of MORL in practical systems faces three key challenges: (1) user preferences over objectives are often unknown or difficult to elicit explicitly; (2) environments are frequently non-stationary, requiring agents to adapt rapidly to changing conditions; and (3) exploration in sparse or high-dimensional objective spaces remains inefficient.
This thesis addresses these challenges through three major contributions. First, a Dynamic-Weight Preference Inference (DWPI) algorithm is proposed, which infers user preferences from expert demonstrations without requiring interactive feedback. By framing preference inference as a supervised learning problem, DWPI enables efficient and robust preference estimation, even in the presence of suboptimal demonstrations. Second, to handle environmental non-stationarity, a meta-learning extension to the Generalized Policy Improvement framework (R-GPI-LS/PD) is introduced. Leveraging Reptile meta-learning, this method allows MORL agents to adapt to new environmental dynamics with minimal retraining, significantly improving sample efficiency. Third, a Demonstration-Guided MORL (DG-MORL) framework is developed to enhance exploration efficiency. By incorporating and progressively refining demonstrations, DG-MORL facilitates effective exploration in sparse-reward and non-ergodic environments.
The proposed methods are evaluated on standard MORL benchmarks and realistic energy management environments, demonstrating substantial improvements in preference inference accuracy, adaptation speed, and exploration efficiency compared to existing baselines. This thesis thus contributes to making MORL more practical, adaptable, and user-aligned for complex real-world applications, particularly in energy management systems