Ruane under fire over funding for Irish schools [newsletter.co.uk]
- Published: 28 July 2010
Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott questioned the education minister over her capital investment in Northern Ireland's 22 Irish language primary schools in an Assembly written question.
A total of 830 spaces were unfilled across the sector, according to the schools' census of October last year.
The Fermanagh and South Tyrone representative has concerns over spending on Irish language schools which he says has risen "five-fold in the last three years".
He said: "Given that 830 places remain empty within the Irish medium sector, I would question why the minister of education Caitriona Ruane is continuing to invest in the sector given the current fiscal constraints faced by the Northern Ireland Executive and her department.
Full Story: www.newsletter.co.uk
€2BN slashing of Ed Budget by Govt [finegael.org]
- Published: 28 July 2010
Fianna Fáil and the Greens have slashed school budgets by a massive €2 billion in the Capital Expenditure Programme announced this week and this will have a devastating effect on schools and children, according to Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Fergus O’Dowd TD.
“Once again, Fianna Fáil and the Greens are targeting the most vulnerable and it is children who will feel the pain of this massive cutback.
“The Revised Capital Expenditure Programme, launched to much fanfare by the Government this week, has actually slashed schools budgets by 40% when compared to the National Development Plan (NDP). To add insult to injury, the Government have attempted to hide this cut.
Full Story: www.finegael.org
Tanaiste fails first test as Minister for Education [labour.ie]
- Published: 28 July 2010
The creation of a new Second-Level Patronage Advisory Group to consider applications for new secondary schools is a symptom of procrastination, paralysis and political cowardice by the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan TD.
The Minister has, like her predecessors, deliberately avoided making a decision on the recognition of Educate Together as a second level patron. The VEC sector and the Roman Catholic Church are opposed to the development of multi-denominational education in our secondary schools. The Minister is too afraid to challenge these interests and alter the status quo.
At present, the provision of multi-denominational education at secondary level is unavailable to parents. It is simply unacceptable for parents to be denied their constitutional right to educate their children in accordance with their preferred ethos.
Fianna Fail has been in government for too long and it is incapable of driving educational reform, particularly with regard to patronage.
Full Story: www.labour.ie
Children's rights poll unlikely before 2011 [IrishTimes]
- Published: 27 July 2010
THE GOVERNMENT is unlikely to hold a planned referendum on children’s rights this year due to concerns over how the wording of an amendment to the Constitution would affect several key policies.
There are fears bolstering children’s rights could prevent the deportation of parents unlawfully in the State and entitle children faced with expulsion from schools to legal representation.
Minister for Children Barry Andrews said yesterday no final decision on the timing of the long-promised referendum had been made because of potential problems flagged up by different Government departments. But he identified three key issues in the fields of justice, health and education, which have to be resolved before the final wording of an amendment could be put to the public.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
£5m consultancy bill for education ‘is unjustifiable’ [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 27 July 2010
The Department of Education has been called on to justify its spending of nearly £5m on consultants in eight years.
The call comes from Mid-Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong after he received figures in response to an Assembly question.
Two years ago the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warned multi-million-pound spending by departments on consultants appeared to be "out of control".
Mr Armstrong, an Ulster Unionist MLA, said: "The statistics show that in 2001-02 the Department of Education spent £140,869 on consultants. Two years later this had risen to £510,432 and by the following year — 2004-05 — it was £765,799. There was a slight dip in 2005-06 which was followed by a huge leap to £905,600 the following year, and in 2007-08 it topped the million pound mark at £1,067,704. 2008-09 saw £850,000 spent, meaning that just short of £5m was spent by the department on consultants in eight years. At a time when the (Education) minister (Caitriona Ruane) is claiming she is unable to come up with funds to rebuild crumbling schools, people are entitled to ask what exactly have we got for our £5m?"
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
