27th October 2009 - Statement by Pat Goff, President, IPPN, on Teacher Unemployment
In response to the statement by Brian Hayes, TD, Fine Gael Spokesman on Education, Pat Goff, President IPPN said "it does not accurately reflect what Principals are reporting to IPPN around the country".
"Deputy Hayes" figures refer to the last school year before the education cuts began to bite. In reality, Principals throughout the country are actively engaged in sourcing newly qualified graduates for substitute positions in schools and only resort to employing retirees when no newly trained teachers are immediately available' added Mr Goff.
Mr. Goff noted that this issue however, clearly highlights the need for a Supply Panel of Teachers, something IPPN has called for over the last 3 years.
The IPPN websites www.Textasub.ie and www.educationposts.ie, extensively used by School Boards to source teachers for permanent and temporary positions, are reporting a higher than average level of recruitment of newly qualified personnel for positions in schools.
Ends
8th October 2009 - Private Sector Can Provide Solutions to Unspent Education Budget
Almost half of all architects, quantity surveyors and engineers have been made redundant due to the recent decline of the construction industry. Meanwhile, the Department of Education and Science has been unable to process the expenditure of the budget it was given for school buildings in 2009. To mitigate the risk of this budget being returned to the Department of Finance, the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) is recommending that Minister O'Keeffe enables his department to outsource this work to the 100s of firms that are shedding key construction professionals.Today, IPPN Director Seán Cottrell said "By contracting experienced private sector firms, the pressure on the Department's Building Unit can be relieved. This will ensure that the 2009 budget for school buildings will be distributed to projects by fast-tracking them through the final stages of approval."
23rd September 2009 - Principal Teachers Facing Impossible Situation
"3,400 Principal Teachers are soon facing an impossible situation" said Seán Cottrell, Director Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN). Mr Cottrell said "given that it is the Principal who is legally responsible for the actual day-to-day management of schools, any agreement that arises from talks between the union and the patrons representatives must be practical and supportive of Principals".
9th October 2009 - Smart Economy Undermined By "Dumbing Down" Education
Reacting to the OECD Report Education at a Glance 2009, Seán Cottrell, Director, Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) said "that the government's insistence that education must take its 'fair share' of cut backs to solve the budgetary crisis is unwise. Investing in education is an essential strategy to ensure a return to economic growth and the development of a smart economy". According to the report there is a clear positive relationship between spending on education and GDP per capita.
