Honours and in particular, first time distinctions are always a cause of understandable national jubilation. Irrespective of how bad or dull things may be nationally at times, Oscars, Eurovision Song Contest successes and European and World Cup progress are not alone a cause célèbre but invariably help to keep national morale afloat.
Robert Fanning is an 18 year old Dubliner. He is intelligent and ambitious. In 1993 he did a series of aptitude tests to assess his suitability in astronautics. Last summer he spent four weeks in the United States participating in a NASA sponsored course. The induction was rigorous and intensive. Each Friday there was intensive testing of the week's work. He also sat the SET, solistic aptitude test, which he passed with flying colours.
The net result of this entire process is that Robert has achieved the unique distinction, out of all the high claibre applicants from around the world vying for entry, of being one of five offered a four year degree course in astronautics at the Californian Institute of Technology. The distinction is put in perspective when one considers that not alone is Robert the first Irish person to have been offered this place but he is, in fact, the first European. Of the other four people offered places on the course, three are Americans and one is Japanese.
The honour is again put in perspective when one considers that having successfully completed his degree course in astronautics, and in view of the intense interest being shown in him by NASA, there is every possibility that Robert will go on to train as an astronaut. This is his ambition, his goal, and there is little doubt that it will happen. However, it can only happen if Robert receives funding of $15,000 per annum from the Department of Enterprise and Employment or some other Irish agency. This funding will supplement the annual funding of $30,000 made available by Cal Tec.
I understand that the Minister kindly agreed to meet Robert to discuss the matter with him. However, the closing date for acceptance of the offer is fast approaching. He must know soon whether he will receive funding from the Department. Otherwise he will have to pass up the offer, which will go to somebody else. It would be a pity if for a relatively small amount of money a unique personal achievement, a national honour — the probability of an Irish astronaut in space in the relatively near future — has to be passed up.
