Government must find €4.5bn of cuts in December's budget [tribune.ie]
- Published: 03 October 2010
Savings of up to €4.5bn in December's budget and total "adjustments" in excess of €10bn over the next four years will have to be found by the government as part of its revised fiscal plan currently being drawn up to rein in Ireland's massive deficit.
This level of cutbacks will be required to reassure the financial markets and the EU that Ireland is serious about getting its budget deficit down to manageable levels by 2014, informed sources told the Sunday Tribune.
While the new four-year plan is far from finalised, it will include:
* €4bn-€4.5bn in savings for 2011 – up from the earlier target of €3bn – and additional savings of at least €6bn-€7bn in the next three budgets.
* The introduction of a property tax – with the possibility of a levy being introduced in the December budget not being ruled out – and water charges.
* Moves to rein in the public-sector pay and pensions bill by cutting staff numbers and ending the system linking public sector pension increases to pay rises.
Full Story: www.tribune.ie
Education Matters Yearbook 2010 now on sale [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 03 October 2010
The Yearbook provides a permanent comprehensive record of the major events, good and bad, that have happened in education in Ireland during the last academic year.
Now in its fifth year, Education Matters Yearbook provides a permanent written record of the big issues and major developments that have occurred in Irish education during the previous academic year.
The Yearbook spans the entire spectrum of education from Early Childhood through to Fourth Level.
The 2010 edition is now on sale and can be purchased online at a reduced price for the month of October. An easy-to-use reference work, this information bank will be highly useful to anyone involved in education or interested in keeping abreast of changing trends.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
School prefabs rent bill tops €24m a year [herald.ie]
- Published: 02 October 2010
RENTED school prefabs are costing the Government a staggering €24m a year.
In addition, the department has forked out €6.6m to pay for 92 prefabs for schools in the first nine months of this year.
In Dublin alone, the rental bill is €5.6m for 268 prefabs in primary schools and 21 in post primary premises.
Education Minister Mary Coughlan has now employed a team of specialists to "develop new procedures and systems" for temporary accommodation "with a view to achieving best value for money".
The minister says the review is well underway and includes drawing up new contractual terms to give the schools the option to buy out or relocate the prefabs.
In all, the department is renting 1,694 prefabs for primary schools and 101 for post primary schools at a cost of €24.2m this year.
Full Story: www.herald.ie
Improving our schools Postcodes carry a hefty price tag [Independent.ie]
- Published: 02 October 2010
THE Department of Education and Skills is getting much tougher in its public comments on underperforming schools.
The first evaluation report appeared on its website in February 2006 and since then a total of 3,862 have been published. The initial Whole School Evaluations were known as "WSE Lite" and were often dismissed as being too bland. Parents had to read between the lines to divine where the weaknesses in a school were. Not any more.
Praise is generously given where it is due, but so is blame. Witness the comment made about one school head in the latest batch of reports: "The principal operates on a restricted educational vision. He displays significant difficulties with leadership and management skills". And what of the school that is told its second teacher of Irish has neither Irish as a degree subject nor sufficient competence in oral Irish to teach the language? How would parents feel when they read of poor communications in their children's school where discipline problems were having "a negative effect on staff morale"?
The names of the schools are given but not those of individuals. Some of the reports are embarrassing for particular teachers, principals and members of boards of management who might be easily identifiable in their locality. However, it is important to remember that they are charged with the education of children in their care and if they are not delivering, parents have a right to expect that weaknesses are addressed and improvements made where necessary.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Education inspectors get tough on schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 02 October 2010
THE Department of Education is getting tougher with schools and demanding that they rectify failings quickly.
Its much more robust approach to schools is confirmed in the latest batch of evaluation reports which have just been published.
Separate reports criticise poor management practices and poor quality of teaching as well as the lack of appropriate qualifications for their subjects.
One report says that the working relationships between the principal and board of management in Scoil Naisiunta Eoghain in Moville, Co Donegal, school have broken down.
It says that the present situation is untenable and is impacting negatively on school management and on staff morale and confidence. Currently the board of management is not functioning satisfactorily as a cohesive unit.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
