Public sector workers turn to welfare for survival [Independent.ie]
- Published: 07 February 2010
Public servants are queuing up for social welfare.
Clerical officers and staff officers are applying in big numbers and qualifying for emergency social welfare assistance to meet their mortgage repayments and household bills.
"This is not at all unusual now, in fact it's quite common, everyone in the civil service knows about it. Even staff officers with kids are getting hand-outs from the social welfare. It's amazing what's going on and a bit strange that the Government are cutting wages and having to top them up with welfare payments. You would wonder sometimes, what's the real saving," said one Department of Education official.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Genuinely tolerant society will not be a cold house for religion [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 February 2010
Labelling everything as bigotry, or homophobia, hinders an inclusive and pluralist society, writes BREDA O'BRIEN
FINTAN O’TOOLE made some valid points in his recent column on teachers. As all primary teacher training colleges are Christian, it is impossible for agnostics or atheists to become qualified without having to take compulsory modules in religious education. He also said that it is wrong to compel atheists or agnostics to teach religious beliefs they do not share.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Cowen's call for sacrifices [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 February 2010
Madam, – I could barely contain myself upon reading the report of Brian Cowen’s speech to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce (Home News, February 6th). He called for people to look beyond our self-interest so as not to fail the next generation. This Fianna Fáil Government has already failed the next generation with its health and education cutbacks.
There was no looking beyond self-interest when the Government and its cronies were off at football matches, concerts, top-notch hotel trips abroad or driving their luxury top-spec cars, all paid for by the mortgage-bound, salary-slashed and stealth-taxed middle- income PAYE worker.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Parents' reaction [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 February 2010
- "Attitudes of boys to homosexuality are still in the dark ages."
- "I am very often shocked with their attitudes to known homosexuals in the school -- they are afraid to be associated with them."
- "Schools should stop young men from thinking that any person who is different or sensitive has to be gay."
- "My son's bullying (in school) could have been avoided if the predominance towards the machismo was challenged."
- "A geography teacher taking a religion class is not qualified to handle such issues."
- "The practical way to talk to them (about sexual orientation) is to go off for a drive. At 60 miles per hour, they can't exactly jump out of the car."
Pope says separate Catholic schools help combat sectarianism [timesonline.co.uk]
- Published: 06 February 2010
The Pope has launched an unprecedented defence of separate Catholic schooling in Scotland, claiming that the system helps to combat sectarianism and promote good community relations.
His comments, which came in an address to Scotland’s bishops, will reignite the debate over Catholic schools. One former Scottish education minister last night took issue with the Pontiff, and said Catholic schools were the reason for the country’s deep-rooted problem of sectarianism.
Full Story: www.timesonline.co.uk
