Talks on Catholic school patronage next week [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 November 2009
JOINT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION: A MEETING between the Department of Education and the Catholic hierarchy to discuss the divesting of patronage of Catholic-run schools in Dublin is to take place next week, a Dáil committee was told yesterday.
Frank Wyse, assistant secretary general at the department, said representatives from the department would be meeting a delegation including Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin and Bishop Leo O’Reilly of Kilmore next week.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Every effort being made over grants - Minister [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 November 2009
EVERY EFFORT is being made by local authorities and VECs to ensure that students get decisions on their grant applications as soon as possible, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe has said.
He was responding to concerns raised by Fine Gael that students were facing delays of up to four months for a decision on a grant application, due to staffing problems in grants offices and an increase in people seeking such assistance.Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes said the delays meant students were in danger of dropping out due to financial pressure or "being thrown out for non-payment of the registration fee". Those in receipt of a grant do not have to pay this fee. Mr Hayes said staff in VECs were working "flat out" but were not receiving the support they needed.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Bishop receives sectarian letters [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 November 2009
THE CHURCH of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Paul Colton, has revealed that he has received sectarian letters over his comments regarding the withdrawal of State funding to Protestant schools.
Bishop Colton wrote on Twitter that he had received a number of anonymous letters over comments he had made regarding plans by Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe to remove ancillary grants for 21 Protestant schools.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Funds go unspent as just a third of schools being built [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 November 2009
Fewer than one in three new schools on the official building programme are under construction.
A backlog in the Department of Education's building programme is going to leave a large chunk of the budget unspent as 1,200 schools await approval for major works.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Three unions good at marshalling their troops [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 November 2009
HOW far are the nation's 60,000 primary and post-primary teachers prepared to go in the cuts battle with the Government as they ballot on industrial action? For the moment at least, primary teachers are being asked to sacrifice a maximum of three days' pay.
That's a maximum of €715 gross for an average teacher -- a small gamble when compared with the drastic salary cuts being talked about in government circles. A crude 7pc pay cut would amount to a loss of more than €4,000 a year for an average primary teacher with an annual salary of €62,000.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
