Minister Varadkar welcomes planning permission for Castleknock and Blanchardstown schools [leovaradkar.ie]
- Published: 18 July 2011
Local Fine Gael TD and Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has welcomed the decision of Fingal County Council to grant planning permission for a classroom extension and new sports hall for Castleknock Community College and the total redevelopment of Scoil Bhride Boys’ and Girls’ schools in Blanchardstown.
“I am very pleased that Fingal County Council has granted planning permission for both of these important developments. Now that planning permission has been secured, the next step is to tender for construction. Both schools have expanded considerably in recent years and need these new facilities. I will be in contact with the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn, during the week about these projects and to highlight the importance of advancing them to the next stage. Although money is tight, there is still more than €300 million allocated for new school buildings every year.”
Full Story: www.leovaradkar.ie
Teachers' union welcomes new child protection initiative [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 18 July 2011
A new government plan to improve the quality of child protection services in Ireland has been welcomed by one teaching union.
As part of the Children First 2011 scheme, announced last week by Children and Youth Affairs Minister Frances Fitzgerald, guidance has been offered to organisations on what they need to do to ensure children in their care are kept safe.
This initiative was welcomed by Sheila Nunan, general-secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, who said training in the new procedures must be issued to all educators.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Religious bodies may boycott Quinn compensation meeting [IrishTimes]
- Published: 18 July 2011
REPRESENTATIVES OF some of the 18 religious congregations that managed residential institutions for children investigated by the Ryan commission may not attend a meeting with the Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn next Friday in protest.
They have been invited to the meeting to discuss a €200 million shortfall in an expected 50:50 contribution by them to costs incurred by the State in compensating former residents of the institutions.
The Government is asking congregations named in the Ryan report to transfer ownership of schools to the State to help make up the shortfall.
Last week Mr Quinn said: “I’m asking them for a 50:50 contribution. The taxpayer has already paid out the bulk of it. Their share should be about €680 million and they are half shy of that . . . they need to do far more.”
The Irish Times has learned that the congregations never agreed to make a 50:50 contributions to such State costs, nor was this a recommendation of the report. It is also their intention to ensure that any additional contributions they make will go to survivors and not to the State.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Public want schools to develop rounded students [IrishTimes]
- Published: 18 July 2011
OPINION : WHEN I got involved with We The Citizens, I had some ideas of the type of issues that people would raise at the events we held around the country this spring. I expected that top of that list would be the economy.
I thought there would be fury and blame. However, while there was anger, much of it had been channelled into suggestions for improving Ireland.
In our quest to show how Ireland could benefit from citizens coming together in new forms of public decision-making, we first had to find out what issues people cared about. At citizens’ events from Cork to Donegal, we listened and took note.
We then polled 1,200 people randomly chosen to ask about the issues raised at these events. From these we invited some to take part in a citizens’ assembly in Dublin last month. We had 100 people in a room discussing issues for a day and a half. Citizens’ assemblies such as those which have operated in Canada and the Netherlands can operate over a year and have full government support, including the right to put their proposal to a referendum. They ask ordinary citizens to discuss issues normally reserved for politicians and others.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
ANGER AT LIMERICK SCHOOLS WHO INSIST ON VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS [www.live95fm.ie]
- Published: 17 July 2011
Limerick schools that insist their students pay voluntary contributions are being branded as disgraceful.
Limerick representatives of the National Parent's Councils for Primary and Post Primary say it has become almost common practice for schools to impose a compulsory contribution.
The NPC say it costs around €1,000 for a new student starting at second level.
Full Story: www.live95fm.ie
