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Media News 2011-2012
Education best way for lone parents to reduce risk of poverty, says Burton
Irishtimes.com, Friday 27th April 2012
PROVIDING EDUCATION or training for lone parents was the best way to reduce the high risk of poverty for their children, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said. “The highest risk lone parent is one who has left education and stayed exclusively as a lone parent over a long period of time,” she added. Ms Burton said that while social welfare was a support, it was a hand-up rather than a handout writes Michael O'Regan
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Three children in 10 affected by deprivation
Irishtimes.com, Friday 27th April 2012
CHILDREN ARE bearing the brunt of the recession, with close to a third affected by some form of deprivation, according to a new report.
Poverty and deprivation is higher for children than for adults and has worsened with the economic downturn, the report by the Economic and Social Research Institute finds, writes Paul Cullen
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Primary schools face threat of ‘drip, drip’ closure despite U-turn
Irish Examiner, Thursday 26th April 2012
Government policy means Ireland’s small primary schools still face a "drip, drip" closure over the coming years despite a major U-turn on planned staff cutbacks, a leading protest group has warned, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
*************************************************Bullying in schools
Irishtimes.com, Monday, 23rd April 2012
MINISTER FOR Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn recently announced details of a forum to explore ways to tackle the problem of bullying in schools. A specially convened anti-bullying forum is scheduled for next month, bringing together a range of experts, support groups, teachers, parents and students. In parallel, the Minister is establishing a working group on tackling bullying, including homophobic bullying, cyber bullying and racist bullying.
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One Irish child in five goes to bed hungry - survey
Irishtimes.com, Tuesday 17th April, 2012
ONE IN five Irish children has reported having gone to school or bed hungry in 2010 because there was not enough food at home, according to the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, up 4 per cent on the 2006 findings writes Pamela Duncan
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Fee-paying students two years ahead in literacy
Irishtimes.com, Tuesday 17th April, 2012
STUDENTS IN fee-paying schools are two years ahead of their counterparts in vocational schools in literacy skills, according to a study which underlines the two-tier nature of Irish education, writes Seán Flynn, Education Editor.
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Ballymun initiative produces big reduction in school absenteeism
Irish Examiner Online, Monday, 26th March 2012
Download the evaluation here
Ballymun Voxpop on school attendance 2012
A new initiative in Ballymun, in Dublin, has helped almost halve the absenteeism rate amongst schoolchildren in less than two years.
Children in the town have gone to school 14,000 more days thanks to the Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership.
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Meeting told of 'scandal' of child poverty
Irishtimes.com, Thursday 29th March 2012
The scale of child poverty in Ireland is a “scandal” given “the “prosperity and extravagance that became the norm during the Celtic Tiger years”, the social campaigner Sr Stanislaus Kennedy has said.
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Parents launch anti-bullying group
Irish Examiner, Thursday, 29th March 2012
The parents of a 10-year-old boy who was forced to leave school because of bullying have set up a Facebook group as a support for other families to come forward and share their stories writes Jennifer Hough
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Boy, 10, bullied out of school over accent
Irish Examiner, Wednesday, 28th March, 2012
Parents of a 10-year-old boy claim he has been bullied out of school due to racial taunting over his accent. The boy was injured and regularly reduced to tears because of bullying on the premises. He has also been subjected to cyber-bullying The family moved from South Africa to Kells, Co Meath, in 2010 writes Jennifer Hough
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Rich-poor gap grew by over one-quarter in 2010
Irishtimes.com, Wednesday March 28th 2012
THE GAP between the richest and poorest in Ireland grew by more than 25 per cent during 2010, new figures show. A Central Statistics Office report on income and living conditions shows the average income of the top 20 per cent of earners was 5.5 times greater than those in the lowest 20 per cent writes Carl O'Brien
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Church of Ireland bishops warn against school cuts
Irishtimes.com, Tuesday March 27th 2012
IRELAND’S commitment to pluralism, tolerance and its religious minorities would be tested by the manner in which proposed education cuts were implemented, Church of Ireland bishops have said, writes Patsy McGarry
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Anseo! How a new generation of gay teachers is fighting back
Irishtimes.com, Tuesday March 27th 2012
There is an assumption that all teachers are straight – but they’re not and even though there is no legislation to protect them, some gay teachers are coming out, writes GRAINNE FALLER
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Teachers must come from all sections of society
Irishtimes.com, Tuesday 20th March 2012
LEFTFIELD: CHILDREN FROM disadvantaged communities typically don’t grow up to be teachers; typically don’t return to their old schools as education leaders or beacons of educational advancement writes Aodhán Ó Riordáin
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More than 250 under-18s wait a year for mental health services
Irishtimes.com, Tuesday 20th March 2012
ALMOST 250 under-18s were waiting more than 12 months for mental health services at the end of last year, Health Service Executive figures show writes Fiona Gartland
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Thomas Hammarberg: Please end this disgrace, Mr Pickles
The Independent, Thursday 1st March 2012
Instead of more confrontation surely it is time for a mediated settlement on Traveller sites? writes Thomas Hammerberg, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
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Protecting children must be first ‘priority for society’
Irish Examiner, Wednesday 29th February 2012
President Michael D Higgins has welcomed the upcoming referendum on children’s rights, claiming it was a chance "to set down a marker once and for all" writes Noel Baker
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Just half of Traveller children in secondary school
Irish Examiner, Tuesday 28th February 2012
Just over half of Traveller children make it to post-primary schooling, according to a detailed report on Travellers and Roma in the EU writes Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent
This report, Human Rights of Roma and Travellers in Europe can be accessed here.
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Teacher's pet
Irish Times, Tuesday 28th February 2012
Where did it all go wrong? It’s a question that Ruairí Quinn must be pondering after a difficult few weeks.
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Chatterbox
Irishtimes.com. Tuesday 28th February 2012
ROLLING BACK ON DEIS CUTS: What’s the talk of education
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Guidance counsellors have nothing to fear
Irishtimes.com. Tuesday 28th February 2012
LEFTFIELD: NEXT WEEKEND over 500 guidance counsellors will gather for their annual conference, their first major gathering since the Budget cuts which could transform their working situation. Under the Budget changes, schools will no longer enjoy a specific allocation of teaching hours for guidance and counselling, but will in future have to resource it from within their standard allocation of teaching hours. In practical terms, many counsellors feared they could be forced to abandon their duties and return to the classroom as subject teachers writes Brian Mooney
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Coalition pursuing 'scorched earth' policy on rural schools, says principal
Iristimes.com. Monday 27th February, 2012
A PRIMARY school principal has accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Coalition of overseeing education cuts that would lead to a “scorched earth” policy in rural Ireland writes Áine Ryan
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DEIS may expand to help more schools
Irish Examiner, Monday 27th February 27 2012
The programme — Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools — was based on levels of disadvantage in 2005. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn may give consideration to expanding the Deis scheme to include many other schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils writes Niall Murray
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Stop ignoring good behaviour!
The Guardian, Monday 27th February 2012
If your school focusses on sorting the bad behaviour of the minority you risk failing the majority writes Paul Dix
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A New Study of Homeless Women
Dr. Paula Mayock and Sarah Sheridan, Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin. Thursday 23rd February, 2012.
According to Dr Paula Mayock : “The findings of this research highlight social exclusion as a defining feature of the women’s life experiences. The vast majority suffered poverty from childhood, a large number left school early and without educational qualifications, and a majority reported low levels of labour market participation. In addition to housing instability, which many experienced from a young age, a large number reported a host of other adversities – neglect and abuse during childhood, intimate partner violence, and problems related to drug or alcohol consumption – which seriously impacted their ability to access and sustain housing. Over half had experienced repeat episodes of homelessness, suggesting that the homelessness of a large number remained unresolved, sometimes over many years".
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The Strength of people power
Irish Examiner, Thursday 23rd February 2012
Organised protests helped to overturn the teacher cuts in Deis schools but there is still concern in rural areas that the Government is trying to force smaller education facilities to amalgamate, write Niall Murray and Donal Hickey
**************************************************Parents and schools criticise cuts to capitation grants
Irish Examiner, Thursday 23rd February 2012
Parents and school boards have criticised the move to use primary school budgets to part-reverse cuts to teacher numbers at disadvantaged schools writes Niall Murray
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Quinn ‘back of the class material’, say students
Irish Examiner, Thursday 23rd February2012
Between 800 and 1,000 people marched from O’Connell Street to Leinster House yesterday, protesting against plans to scrap allowances for newly qualified teachers which will see them earning 30% less than the starting rate from 18 months ago writes Noel Baker.
***************************************************Disadvantaged schools
Irishtimes.com, Thursday 23rd February 2012
DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS and the communities they serve will welcome the decision by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn to reverse some of the cuts to Deis posts outlined in the budget (Deis is an acronym for delivering equality of opportunity in schools). In all, 235 posts will be retained. In signalling the U-turn Mr Quinn was full of contrition: “I made a mistake. I got it wrong. When the full impact of what we did was brought to my attention I realised we hadn’t acted on the full information...available to us.”
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School funds cut to pay for U-turn by Quinn
Irish Examiner, Wednesday 22nd February 2012
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has been accused of robbing Peter to pay Paul after cutting budgets for all primary schools in order to fund a U-turn on teacher cuts in the most disadvantaged schools writes Niall Murray
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State retains teaching jobs but slashes school grants
Irish Independent, Wednesday 22nd February 2012
Katherine Donnelly writes, THE Government is rowing back on plans to cut teachers in disadvantaged and small rural schools -- but at a price.
It has cut the number of teaching posts to be axed in disadvantaged schools by more then half.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn is retaining 235 of the 428 jobs in disadvantaged schools originally earmarked for a cut. Mr Quinn has said: "I accept that I got it wrong."
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Mixed reaction to Deis cuts U-turn
Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn
Irishtimes.com Wednesday 22nd February 2012
The Government yesterday announced plans to retain 235 so-called "legacy" posts under the Deis (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme.
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Quinn's U-turn on teachers to hit school spending
Irishtimes.com Wednesday 22nd February 2012
HUNDREDS OF primary schools face new difficulties in paying for basic utilities such as heating and lighting after a fresh cut in school maintenance supports.
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Staffing in Primary Schools - Budget Cutbacks
Press Statement by Sheila Nunan, INTO General Secretary, on Staffing in Primary Schools
The INTO said today that substantial progress had been made to reverse the budget cutbacks in disadvantaged primary schools.
Ms Nunan said recent reports from the Education Research Centre and the OECD confirm that disadvantaged spending and resources is paying dividends both educationally and socially. “The decision to cut these in the budget was misguided and needed to be reworked. We acknowledge that the Minister has now reversed the severe cuts.”
The most disadvantaged schools (DEIS 1) will get an additional allocation of learning support teachers which will reverse the threatened budget cut to that provision. “This is necessary and I welcome the Minister’s decision in this regard,” said Ms Nunan.
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U-turn made over cuts to schools
Press Association, Yahoo! News Tuesday 21st February 2012
The Government has been forced into a U-turn over cuts to disadvantaged schools with more than half the original redundancies proposed being retained.
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Most disadvantaged schools to retain teachers
RTE.ie News Tuesday 21st February 2012
The Department of Education has said 235 DEIS teaching posts that were due to be axed will now be retained following a review.
The Department of Education has cut the number of teaching posts to be axed in disadvantaged schools by more than half.
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When access to college changes lives
Irishtimes.com Tuesday 21st February 2012
IT STARTED in 1990 with just six students from Ballymun. Now 21 years later, DCU’s Access programme is the oldest in the country and it’s thriving: 170 students entered the university through the programme in September, the largest cohort yet. If they are anything like their predecessors, they will outperform their non-Access peers academically despite entering college on fewer CAO points.
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Many hands make light work for students
Irish Examiner, Tuesday 21st February 2012
Students who have been lending each other a hand and raising mental health awareness have reported a big change in their Dublin school writes Niall Murray.
**************************************************A novel way of teaching literacy
Irishtimes.Com Tuesday 21st February 2012
WHEN RITA Treacy arrived for her niece’s christening in St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, some years ago, she was asked, as godmother, to do a reading...
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Limerick regeneration plan has failed local residents
Irish Examiner, Monday 20th February 2012
On the question of 1,000 families having opted to move out of their homes under the Limerick regeneration plan, many home owners say that it was the process of regeneration itself that forced them out.
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Guidance counsellors fight school cuts
Irish Examiner, Monday 20th February 2012
School principals in Kerry are currently assessing the impact of budget cuts in guidance services which will directly affect second-level students from September next.
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Churches unite to save rural schools
UTV News, Friday 17th February 2012
Protestant and Catholic churches in Co Donegal are uniting to try and save rural schools.
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No method in madness behind school guidance cuts
Irish Times, Thursday 16th February 2012
The Minister for Education is distracted and preoccupied with numeracy and literacy rates at the expense of mental health.
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Watch out Ruairí! Cuts to small schools spell big trouble
Irish Independent, Wednesday 15th February 2012
Closures are feared as teacher numbers are slashed in rural Ireland.
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Disadvantaged school spend urged
Irish Examiner, Friday 10th February 2012
The Government should continue investing more in disadvantaged schools — the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has said.
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EU: Education cuts undermine potential
Irish Examiner, Thursday 9th February 2012
Cuts in education budgets risk undermining the economy’s growth potential, the EU has warned Ireland as the country moves closer to the bottom of the international league table in spending on schools.
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Teacher's Pet
Irish Times, Tuesday 7th February 2012
Croke Park deal cuts deep: The full cost of the Croke Park deal is being felt across the education sector. The pay of young teachers is being cut, small rural schools are threatened with closure and disadvantaged schools are braced for more cuts.
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Certain schools are better squeezed than others
Irish Examiner, Monday 6th February 2012
Private institutions still receive substantial State funding, which seems unfair in light of cuts to DEIS schools, writes Michael McNamara
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Study says deaf pupils let down at school
Irish Times, Monday 6th February 2012
DEAF CHILDREN leave school at 18 with a reading age of nine and numeracy levels of 10- to 12 year-olds despite having normal intelligence, research has shown.
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Special education - Cuts having deep impact
Irish Examiner, Monday 6th February 2012
Unfortunately, though it is an open-and-shut case, the recommendation of extra funding for the education of young people who are deaf or hard of hearing is no guarantee that a Government hell-bent on cuts will listen.
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Education gains 'can be kept with small pay cuts'
Irish Independent, Thursday 2nd February 2012
A post-primary principals' leader says that it would be better to cut teachers' pay than to reduce staffing in schools in order to save money.
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Separate school protests held in Dublin
RTE News, Thursday 2nd February 2012
Two separate primary school protests have taken place in Dublin
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Teacher staffing changes to hit small schools
Irish Examiner, Thursday 2nd February 2012
The Department of Education is increasing the number of pupils that small schools must have to keep or gain a second, third or fourth teacher from next September.
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Hundreds gather at Dáil for protest against small school cuts
Protesters outside the Dáil this evening. Image: Terri Brosnan
The Journal.ie. Wednesday 1st February, 2012
HUNDREDS OF PARENTS, teachers and their supporters have gathered outside Leinster House tonight to protest against planned staff cuts in smaller schools.
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Children’s grades get a boost from after-school activity
Irish Examiner, Friday 27th January 2012
Schools can play a crucial role in boosting children’s academic performance by offering a range of after- school programmes, a report suggests.
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Dáil protest at staffing plan for smaller schools
Irish Times, Thursday 26th January 2012
MORE THAN 100 children from six primary schools in Longford and Westmeath gathered outside the Dáil yesterday to protest at planned changes to the staffing schedule in smaller schools.
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Rural schools must take 'share of burden'
Irish Times, Thursday 26th January 2012
EDUCATION COMMITTEE: SMALL RURAL schools which are threatened with closure will have to “take their share of the burden’’ as the State battles its way out of receivership, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has said.
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Budget rips heart out of rural Ireland
Written by Seán Cottrell on 23rd January 2012 in the Education Matters YearbookLast month, RTE’s Six One news carried the happy and heart-warming story of Coolderry hurlers returning with the Leinster club hurling trophy to the cradle of their hurling civilization – their local national school – where they were welcomed tumultuously by jersey-clad local children.
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Deis protesters picket Department of Education
Irish Times, Friday 20th January 2012
BETWEEN 3,000 and 4,000 parents, children, teachers and principals of disadvantaged schools protested loudly, with music and hundreds of home-made, multi-coloured banners outside the Department of Education yesterday, against proposed cuts to teacher numbers.
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Parents to fight DEIS cuts
Cork Independent, Thursday 19th January, 2012
Cork parents are preparing to fight cuts to DEIS schools this week despite an announcement that Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn will reconsider the planned teacher losses.
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Young women are the best educators
Irish Examiner, Thursday 19th January 2012
YOUR child is more likely to get a better primary education if their teacher is young or female or if they attend a single-sex or fee-paying school.
************************************************Leave children in DEIS schools alone
Letter to the Editor. The Examiner, Wednesday 18th January, 2012
AT a meeting of the Northside Principals’ Group meeting in Scoil Iosagáin, Farranree recently, 22 principals in Cork city met to discuss the proposed cuts to DEIS schools.
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Martin presses Kenny on planned education cuts
Irish Independent, Wednesday 18th January, 2012
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin yesterday pressed Taoiseach Enda Kenny on whether the Government will reverse all the planned cuts to disadvantaged schools.
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Call for reversal of education cuts
Galway Independent , Wednesday 18th January 2012
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has this week called for a complete reversal of proposed cuts that would see between 40 and 50 teaching posts lost at disadvantaged primary schools across Galway City and County over the next three years.
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Top academics snub Quinn pay cut plea
Irish Independent, Wednesday 18th January, 2012
SEVEN of the country’s top academics have snubbed a request from Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to cut their pay to €200,000 – equal to Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s salary.
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Up to 700 attend meeting over school fears
Irish Times, Tuesday 17th January 2012
RURAL IRELAND has been stripped of its post offices and Garda stations and now the Government is squeezing out small national schools in a bid to make financial savings, a public meeting of the Save our Small Schools Campaign in Dunmanway, West Cork heard last night.
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Teacher's Pet
Irish Times. com. Tuesday 17th January, 2012
** “I’m out of practice. We’re getting back into the business of trying to do this. It’s very difficult to adjust these kinds of things, you’re dealing with calculations and assumptions.
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Chatterbox
What's the talk of education?
Irish Times. com. Tuesday 17th January, 2012
REVIEW OF CUTS TO DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS
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DEIS evaluation reports show absurdity of Quinn’s cuts – Smith
Fianna Fáil calls for clarity on Minister’s “review” of budget decisions
Monaghan Life.ie. Monday 16th January, 2012
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DEIS and other education cuts
The Cedar Lounge Revolution, Sunday 15th January 2012
It looks that thankfully the proposed cutbacks to DEIS schools may well be reversed, however as of yet there is nothing concrete. Minister Ruairi Quinn was on Pat Kenny's radio show during the week and to me sounded as if he didn’t fully understand the role of DEIS schools and the DEIS schemes.
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‘Sacrificial lambs’ of education saved by volte-face
The Examiner, Saturday 14th January, 2012
AT least the Mayans put the end of the world off until December — sadly, the Government is not so generous and has decided the life chances of some of the most vulnerable children in the Irish school system should be extinguished a few months earlier.
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Quinn admits mistake in DEIS cuts
Donegal Now, Friday 13th January, 2012
Education Minister, Ruairi Quinn has admitted that the announcement of cuts in resources for schools in disadvantaged areas was a mistake.
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INTO: DEIS protest will still go ahead
RTE News, Friday 13th January, 2011
Campaigners against teacher cuts in disadvantaged schools say they will press ahead with a protest planned for next Thursday.
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Quinn admits DEIS cuts 'mistake'
Irish Times, Friday 13th January, 2012
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has admitted to making a "mistake" in announcing cuts to teacher numbers in disadvantaged schools.
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Education Minister Ruairí Quinn: Announcing cuts for disadvantaged schools a mistake
Irish Independent, Friday 13th January, 2012
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn has admitted that announcing cuts in teacher number in disadvantaged schools a mistake.
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At-risk school schemes improve learning
The Examiner, Friday 13th January, 2012
THREE reports to be published today will pile pressure on the Government to reverse budget cuts to schemes which, the reports show, are making a significant difference to learning in disadvantaged areas.
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Teachers welcome review of budget cuts
Irishtimes.com Friday 13th January, 2012
A GOVERNMENT review of cuts in teacher numbers to disadvantaged primary schools was seen as a “very significant development” the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said in a statement.
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Primary school prepares for the worst
Irish Examiner, Friday January 13th 2012
THE cutbacks affecting disadvantaged schools may be decided in the plush surrounds of Leinster House but the impact of the move will be felt in far more ordinary surroundings.
***************************************************Quinn announces review of cuts to DEIS teacher numbers
The Journal.ie Thursday 12th January, 2012
EDUCATION MINISTER Ruairí Quinn has announced a formal review of the Budget’s proposed cuts to the number of teachers in disadvantaged schools, following pressure from the opposition.
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SF sought Labour support on education motion
RTE News, Thursday 12th January, 2012
Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald appealed to Labour backbenchers to vote in favour of her party's motion against cuts in education.
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I’m willing to ‘take one for the team’
Written by Clive Byrne on Wednesday 11th January 2012 in the Education Matters YearbookMedia comment over Christmas concentrated on the impact on schools, and the effects on pupils, of having to offer a guidance service outside the quota in the next school year, as well as offering a number of articles on the rights and wrongs of fee charging schools.
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UCC president clarifies remarks on support for disadvantaged students
Irish Examiner, Wednesday, 11th January, 2012
THE President of University College Cork, Dr Michael Murphy, has responded to widespread criticism of his suggestions that some educational supports for disadvantaged and disabled students be diverted to more gifted students.
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Sinn Féin calls on Govt to reverse cuts that will affect disadvantaged schools
Irish Examiner, Saturday 7th January, 2012
*************************************************Single-sex schools are targeted for teacher cut
Irish Independent, Tuesday 3rd January, 2012
THE Department of Education wants to target single-sex post-primary schools for a cut in teacher numbers.
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Outrage as school faces losing third teacher over ratio change
Irish Independent, Friday 23rd December, 2011
OISIN Foley's parents faced a serious dilemma in September -- their son was only going to be four in October but their local school needed him to enrol, for the numbers.
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Pressure on college resources sees flight of talent
Irish Examiner, Wednesday December 21st 2011
PRESSURE to provide college places for disadvantaged students has triggered an exodus of Ireland’s brightest school-leavers to study abroad, a leading university president has warned.
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'All we’ll be left with is bigger class sizes’
Irish Examiner, Tuesday December 20th 2011
A MOTHER who has seen her son’s reading and maths improve dramatically fears cuts to local schools will mean her daughter does not have the same opportunity.
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Inner City schools and CE protest against Joan Burton
SWP.ie Saturday 17th December 2011
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Government U-turn on teacher numbers
Irish Independent, Friday 16th December, 2011
The Government has been forced into a partial Budget U-turn on cuts to teacher numbers in disadvantaged primary schools, writes Michael Brennan and Katherine Donnelly.
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Price of education cutbacks: Schools to lose 730 teachers say principals
Irish Independent, Friday 16th December, 2011
CUTBACKS mean that 470 primary schools are to lose 730 teachers in the next three years, the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPNN) said today.
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Over 400 teachers to be axed from schools as cuts bite
Irish Independent, Thursday 15th December, 2011
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn is pressing ahead with plans to cut almost 430 teachers from disadvantaged schools despite complaints from disgruntled backbenchers.
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Leaders' Questions, Dáil Debates. Wednesday 14th December 2012
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Disadvantaged schools set to lose 400 teachers
Irish Examiner, Tuesday 13th December 2011
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Cuts will erode students’ progress, principal warns
Irish Examiner, Tuesday 13th December 2011
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Budget 2012 will ‘devastate’ disadvantaged schools – INTO
The Journal.ie Monday 12th December, 2011
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Letter to the Editor, Irish Times Monday 19th December 2011 in response to Budget cuts
Letter to the Editor, Irish Times Wednesday 21st December 2011 in response to Budget cuts
RTE News ***BUDGET CUTS 2011***
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The School Around the Corner
Irish Times, Saturday 10th December, 2011
SCHOOL TALES: Rutland Street National School became famous after ‘Give Up Yer Aul Sins’ became a hit, and a move to a new building has done nothing to dampen the pupils’ enthusiasm, and love of a good story, writes ÁINE KERR
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Stop the madness! Protest against the cuts!
SWP.ie. Wednesday 7th December 2011
Richard Boyd Barrett United Left/ People Before Profit TD and member of the Socialist Workers Party commented on this budget: This is a cruel and senseless budget. The government has made a cold calculated decision to attack the poor, the young and the vulnerable in order to protect the bankers and the super-wealthy...
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High Earners, Low Funding
Irish Times, Tuesday 6th December, 2011
YESTERDAY THE Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn outlined a range of spending cuts across the education sector.
These cuts will impose further strains on an under-funded Irish education system. In Ireland, average spending per student at all levels of education is among the lowest of the OECD countries: only 16 per cent of GDP is spent on education.
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'12 students to shine light on early school leaving'.
Times of Malta.com, Thursday 10th November, 2011.
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'Local university studies reasons for early school drop-outs'.
Times of Malta.com, Friday 11th November, 2011
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Quinn unveils plan to transform maths and reading
Irish Independent, Saturday 9th July, 2011
PRIMARY pupils are to spend more time on reading and maths as part of a new strategy to raise literacy and numeracy standards.
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Unions say plan will not work if teachers cut
Irish Times. Saturday 9th July 2011
THE NATIONAL Literacy and Numeracy Strategy will cost €6 million next year, rising to €19 million by 2017 but funding will have to come from existing resources.
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Digital literacy strong in Irish youths
Irish Times, Wednesday 29th June, 2011
IRISH TEENAGERS are above average at reading digital and online texts, according to an educational study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
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More Irish children live in poverty than OECD average
Irish Times, Friday 29th April, 2011
THE POOREST in society are no longer pensioners but families with children, an OECD study has found.
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Literacy project is last word in success
Irish Independent, Tuesday 12th April, 2011
'Write to Read Project'
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Urgent need to boost literacy, says Quinn
Irish Times, Tuesday 12th April, 2011
THE GOVERNMENT is determined to inject a sense of urgency in the battle to boost literacy standards, the Minister for Education has said. Ruairí Quinn was speaking yesterday as a literacy initiative in disadvantaged schools delivered encouraging results
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Words fail us -- why the minister wants to improve literacy . . .
Irish Independent, Wednesday 30th March, 2011
17pc of Irish 15-year-olds are so poor at reading that they cannot carry out everyday tasks
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Charlie Weston: Eliminating welfare poverty trap easier said than done
Irish Independent, Thursday 10th March, 2011
SOCIAL welfare rates were controversially cut in the last two Budgets -- but they are still so generous that many low to middle-income families would be better off on welfare.
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How Finland emerged from recession with the best education system in Europe
The Irish Times, Tuesday, March 1, 2011
OPINION Finland recovered from deep recession and built a world-class education system. Ireland must follow suit, writes PASI SAHLBERG
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Labour unveils literacy plan
Irish Times, Wednesday 9th February 2011
Primary schools would devote up to 120 minutes extra per day to teaching literacy under a Labour proposal unveiled today.
Last Updated: Friday April 27 2012