€213m of Education budget still unspent [rte.ie]
- Published: 03 December 2009
With one month to go to the end of the year, the Department of Education has yet to spend a quarter of its capital budget.
The Department was granted a record €841m to spend on school buildings and other capital projects this year, but €213m has yet to be spent.
No other Government Department with a significant capital budget is this far behind.
Full Story: www.rte.ie
Public service deal proposals [IrishTimes]
- Published: 03 December 2009
Madam, – The unpaid leave being proposed for the public sector will hopefully apply to all who are paid out of the public purse. Does this mean that the President, an Taoiseach, all Government Ministers and TDs, all councillors and elected public representatives will forego 12 days’ pay and expenses in the coming year? Expenses need to be included, because how can one claim expenses if one is not working? Does this also mean that judges, who claim that their pay cannot be reduced, will be affected or as usually happens, will all the “privileged” aforementioned be exempted? These are matters that need to be clarified before any agreement on such a proposal should be forthcoming. – Yours, etc,
A KEHOE,
Roselawn Road,
Castleknock,
Dublin 15.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Pre-Budget Statement by the National Alliance for Primary Education
- Published: 03 December 2009
In a pre-Budget statement issued today (Wednesday 2nd December), the National Alliance for Primary Education is reminding the Government that the Primary education system is a fundamental corner-stone of economic progress. It is one of the critical keys to unlocking a fairer society said the Alliance. The system simply cannot sustain any more damage. If Primary education is neglected in the Budget, it will further set back the process of economic recovery and growth, and will do long-term, fundamental damage to the principles of fairness and equity for all our children added the Alliance.
Call for State to step in on bishops' role in schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 02 December 2009
PARENTS want the State to decide if certain bishops should remain as patrons of primary schools.
At present the Catholic bishops are patrons of around 3,000 of the country's 3,200 primary schools. Some of them were criticised in last week's Murphy report for not doing enough in relation to allegations of abuse when they were auxiliary bishops in the Dublin diocese.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Parents call for State leadership [Irish Examiner]
- Published: 02 December 2009
THE group representing parents of primary pupils believes anybody whose handling of child protection issues was questioned in the Murphy report should not continue as school patrons.
The National Parents Council-Primary (NPC-P) has called on the State to show leadership regarding child protection and to prioritise children’s safety and is seeking a review of the register of school patrons. “Responsibility must remain with the Government regarding the appropriate standards of governance in the Irish education system,” said CEO Áine Lynch.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
