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LAST UPDATE | 2 Apr 2024
NOTHING IS OFF the table in terms measures to tackle the shortage of teachers in Ireland, Minister for Education Norma Foley has said.
Ahead of her appearance at the latest of this week’s teaching conferences, Foley told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that she is happy to “pursue” suggestions being put forward by teachers’ unions to address the shortages.
Teachers unions are holding their annual conferences this week. Issues being discussed will include teacher shortages and pay.
The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) is holding its conference in Co Wexford, while the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) is meeting in Killarney and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) is meeting in Derry.
Speaking today at the congress, Foley received a muted reception at points, but drew widespread applause at remarks condemning the bombing of children and destruction of school buildings by Israel in Gaza.
Earlier, union members were advised to treat the minister with “respect” and not engage in protest against her appearance.
While condemning the 7 October assault by Hamas, Foley said that “innocent people who had nothing with the attacks” had suffered as a result of Israel’s invasion.
She also paid tribute to teachers who demonstrated outside the conference hall, holding placards condemning Israel’s attack.
Citing UN research on the devastation wreaked on Gaza’s education system since, Foley said that “no education has happened in Gaza at all in the past six months”.
“Now is the time for humanity and now is the time for action,” she said.
Elsewhere, she touched on plans to support schools and students in different schemes.
This includes assisting schools management the administration and procurement in the forthcoming free books scheme.
“I am also conscious that procurement may seem daunting for larger post-primary schools that are tendering school-books contracts, particularly where these are higher-value contracts,” Foley told delegates.
“I want to assure you that schools will have significant support in this process,” she said.
The minister also vowed that the “era of Big Tech companies policing themselves” was at an end.
She referenced plans by Comisiún na Meán – the new media and online regulator – to develop a new online safety code, which Foley said will “cover the scourge of cyberbullying” as part of its policies.
The minister received some applause when she said: “Social media companies will have to comply with the code or face fines of up to €20 million. The era of Big Tech companies policing themselves is over.”
According to figures by the INTO, there were more than 2,000 long-term vacancies in the sector at the start of the academic year. Meanwhile, it estimates that more than 4,800 Irish teachers are working abroad.
When asked whether it is time to introduce an allowance for teachers working in urban areas, similar to London, Foley said she will take “nothing off the table”.
However, she said that if such a measure was to be implemented it would have to be done “across the board” in the public sector.
“When people speak of a London allowance, they speak of an additional money being made available to those who are teaching and working in the London area. But if you were to look at our salaries, our salaries are greater than what is being offered, even if you include a London allowance in London,” Foley said.
The Education Minster said there will be times where there are absences among the 75,000 teachers in the system.
“We will be proactive in this space. As I said, the various measures we’ve introduced and we will look at further and more measures,” Foley said.
“But this is not unique to the education sector. This is an issue for a country that is near full employment that we’re going to have from time to time in various areas,” she said.
“I don’t take away the stress that it creates on school leaders but we are being supportive as much of as far as possible. We work in a partnership environment, so suggestions that are being made to us we’re happy to pursue.”
Teachers are also calling for a full recognition of experience gained overseas in non-EU countries such as in the Middle East and Australia.
However, Foley said she doesn’t want to make it “overly attractive” to Irish teachers to work abroad.
“There’s a fine line we walk here in terms of the push and pull factors,” she said.
“I’m conscious that from a primary school perspective, teachers who are working in non-EU countries, their services are recognised.
“Equally so, we have to be cognizant of making it overly attractive, for those going abroad and ensuring that there is a fairness to the 75,000 who are actually currently working here at home as well,” Foley added.
She said is happy for the matter to be “looked at” through the Teacher Conciliation Council.
“We need to find a balanced mechanism here as to how it is fair to all concerned,” Foley said.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, ASTI general secretary Kieran Christie said the “efforts to entice people back from abroad from places like Canada and Australia has been feeble and pitiable”.
“Inviting people back next September to part-time jobs is just not going to cut it,” Christie said.
In a statement yesterday, TUI president David Waters said that ”Ireland is far from unique in having a teacher recruitment and retention crisis”.
“This means that other education systems will increasingly seek out our highly qualified graduates unless they are incentivised to stay here. Failure to do so will undoubtedly see the crisis worsen greatly,” Waters said.
“We’ve seen enough ‘sticking plaster’ measures from the Department – real action is now a necessity to keep teachers in front of classrooms.”
ASTI Congress reporting by Eoghan Dalton
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The big Accountancy firms are more to blame for the calamity that ensued.
Cowen, like many others were lead to believe one thing with the published accounts while a very different story was the case. He paid millions for advice from these so called “experts” who lead him directly up the path & over the cliff.
Exactly my thoughts. Cowan may not be a qualified accountant but plenty around him were.
Whose agenda were the accountancy firms working to, is the question.
Consultants get paid to tell you what you want to hear and already know, if you don’t like what you’re told you tell them to go to a dark room with a bottle of whiskey and a gun
Every bank in Ireland executed a charge a floating charge over the monies in their account with the central bank of Ireland – the fund to enable central bank to honour the transfer made by those bank to other bank in the euro zone – why cos the central bank not confident in the solvency of the banks. if Government did not know of that state of affair – it id of court – for them bank held government bonds as securities. The government took RISK and gambled but I believe mainly the government FF / Greens was bullied and bullied badly by the IMF and to this date the Governments ( MINISTERS ) has still not released gag from the independent role of the DAIL to protect the public fund and exercise it power under the as the institution require to approve the term of that loan under art 29 5 2. and have dail to fall back on in it negotiation in this huge No TD has challenged the opinion that and Cowen Government and current governments that that loan is not an agreement under art 29 5 2. and we all know the loss made and suffered to public purse from the liquidation for the huge loan burdening nation states. but it is D Obrien who is now suing the Oireachtas – nothing has changed . The TD are like lapdogs .
the book never seem to stop anywhere in this county and u don’t need to be any expert to know that property price were rising too fast far too fast, and bank engaging in reckless borrowing to satisfy this insatiable demand . The politician just did not want to ASK questions . And still don’t . I don’t see the point or at all of these inquiries – into past damage EFFECT STILL ON US – and today we have one D O; Brien suing Oireachtas – dail gagged from inquiring into any more losses in IBRC and accountant making millions , While Greece may well be on way to getting better deals at heart of the problem – Frankfurt,. D Obrien has a claim a very valid claim – minister had told dail these term did not come under art 29 5 2 and none of them asked high court o/wise .
Yes & what political party were those firms affiliated to. Cowen is a clown. & typical FFer. He exercised no control over the Banks while he had the power to do so. Of course he & his so called Regulator were being wined & dined by them. Sickening.
@ Peter, thats how much he cared, we should give him an Oscar for his performance at the inquiry.
Its hard to get rid of Skum but we must, if we want an Ireland we can be proud of.
@Von. I disagree re Oscar – The best has yet to come – nxt wk I believe – Mr B Ahearne, The King of Absolute & Total Bullshit will b making an appearance. Waffling away, putting on his sad sincere facade while laughing all the way to the Bank or should that be Bookie.
The man is also grateful to DOB for giving him a well paid job as he was struggling to survive on his pensions.
Biffo the legend… Banking inquiry ? It’s sheer entertainment & I can’t wait for Ahern, kenny & noonan to start spinning, It’s a Party Political soap opera & we are the mugs paying for it. Nothing to do with accountability, its the start of campaigning for general election.
Don’t start me off.
Most thick Tea-shock we ever had.
Cowen must be the ugliest person ever to appear on a soap opera.
@Cram I think he could be beaten to the post on that one by Enda… Or else it’s a tie
Gail Platt JM?
Still he performed “to the best of his ABILITY” – and therein lies the problem. The complete lack of ABILITY of Cowen and his cohorts is astounding given the salaries and pensions they “earn”. Couldn’t run your local grocery store.
Will he give up his 151.000 euro annual pension? ,,He would not run a Topaz station…https://youtu.be/HtOzdj5gRSc
And on that night who indeed was in charge of the ‘clattering train’ . . .
Well we know who was restricting the options – The European Cartel
If people see this “inquiry” as anything other than the FG/Lab government trying to score points to cover their horrendous record and plain ineptitude while in power themselves, then you’re all in a world of delusion. Nothing will come of this at all. What is done is done, and some of the questions (that seem to be more statements and rants rather than questions) have nothing to do with anything.
Yes the quality of questions were quite poor and unfortunately some were not even questions leading to many interruptions by the Chair to clarify. Cowen whatever people may think of him portrayed himself very well today and very professionally IMO.
As much as I don’t like cowen, his FF chums and their ridiculous guaranteed pensions this banking inquiry isn’t worth a pot of piss. It’s all about political points scoring, any FG/Lab/SF TD who claims that they wouldn’t have gone with the same sort of spending with the budget surplus’ that were there at the time is talking through their arse. Current Gov are all about talking up potential tax cuts and spending increases now that an election is looming while conveniently leaving out the fact that we are still saddled with a massive National Debt that will still have to be re paid by future generations. Funny how the pension reserve was gutted to set up the likes of IW yet TDs multiple fat pensions are still guaranteed to be paid from the public purse
If this Japan was he’d fall on his sword.
Or at least hit himself with his calculator.
Cowan and Ahern financed a government spending boom on excessive property stamp duties, huge VRT receipts and ever growing VAT income. Any leaving cert student could have told them that you cannot fund long term spending plans on transaction taxes.
Any Irish electorate, however, seemingly thought that you could do so.
Why did he think it sensible, in budget 2007, to pump an extra 12% cash into what was already the fastest growing economy in Europe and one the fastest in the developed world? How did he think that would play out?
He didn’t dare FF had a election coming up and that is all that mattered.
He still doesn’t care, he walks away a well to do man, FF’s key friends have been looked after.
The country can take a running jump.
A bit like Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, Capn’ Cowan had the telescope up to his bad eye on the good ship Celtic Tiger not wanting to observe nor heed the clear signals of impending doom.
John he is the man that led FF into the greatest calamity in their history, his ego must have taken a serious knock.
Bertie actually did that
He should be in jail for what he did to the Irish economy
For being democratically elected and acting to the best of his ability?
How fickle people are , FF are up in the last polls , a week is along time in politics
He has a much better knowledge of economics than I had previously given him credit for.
Most of the inquiry’s members are asking very narrow questions in an attempt to score points–it’s not unsuprising that he push back at that. Finally, and much more seriously, they persistently put Prof Kelly’s warnings to witnesses without quoting the great numbers of cheerleaders at the time.
I’m no fan of FF or Cowen, but he’s an articulate spontaneous genius, compared to Kenny,
“The former Taoiseach came out swinging this morning and is continuing his evidence this afternoon.”
….for a moment there I thought it said he came out ‘swigging’….which would have made more sense.
This investigation with the backdrop of Greek default is a disaster for the FG masterminds that dreamed it up, It highlights the fact that we had no choice but to bail out banks if we wanted to see a future in Europe. Building and economy on short-term gains on stamp duty and capitol gains however was unforgivable folly.
I watched 10 minutes and I don’t believe a word of what that man says….still smug and feels he’s done nothing wrong. Psychopath
gob5hite now give your pension back.
He’s happy as his decisions had to effect on him and the rest of the gang. For the mere citizens of Ireland however it’s a much different tale.
Who are these ESRI and what level of control have they to ignore reports that were proven correct?! Yet again we all point fingers at politicians, either in power or opposition, the problem yet again ‘lies’ with the banks and possible collusion between them and high powered officials, at the end of the day TD’s and governments change, banks and their officials see them come and go, who has the power then?!!!
Worth every penny of his pension, at least we get it back in excise duty I guess
” We recorded budget surpluses in 10 of 11 Budgets up to the time I left office as finance minister” if this buffoon is incapable of reconciling the excess incomes with the inevitable economic destruction of our county then we were truly shafted. What a reprehensible and arrogant comment to make.
Actually its Eleven things we learnt about Cowan……….9. He is still alive. 10. He is still receiving a massive pension paid for by Irish people,many who cant afford it!
We’ve learned that he hasn’t changed much, still as brutish as ever!
the rest of the country’s ‘economists’ continue to appease their estate agent, mortgage lender or stockbroker employers with their sales patter.
There should be some sort of regulatory health warning on economists who are commercial shills. perhaps to be banned by advertising standards to call themselves economists.
Still if Cowen or Martin wandered across the forecourt trying to sell me a used car, I’d trust Cowen before Martin.
Martin is just too slippery sleek for my liking. He makes Gerry Adams look trustworthy.
Some just have that survival instinct I guess.
At least he was sober today
Does anyone remember Spittin’ Image? Every time I see a picture of cowen…..
One thing we have learned nobody in high office in Ireland is accountable for anything…. Ever!!! Sham
He now works for Denis Obrien right??
As my father would say he has a face like a dogs arse
For 8 to exist, then you added Snow White as one of them lol.
“I accept full and complete responsibility for our role in, and response to, that crisis.”
Brian Cowen
But what does that mean?
Will he give up his big pension to demonstrate how he is willing to sacrifice in some way?
I wouldn’t mind having an opportunity to gesticulate in front of him… and it wouldn’t be a peace ✌ sign
Didn’t he once say when interviewed about, and during, the property boom “if people want to buy houses they should be allowed do so “……or words to that effect
The only thing we will find out is that he’s as good a liar as I always knew he was
He should be called Gotti, same arrogance and same modus operandi. Untouchable and smug as hell. How many SSIA’S did his friends and relatives have under Irish names, maiden names both in Irish and English ? All financed by his pal Seanie. Lucky if you are born into this Madia family.
Wow, why don’t you make some more baseless accusations?
Perhaps they roasted children’s heads over burning €100 notes?
Do you have any proof that this is the case?
If you do, I’d advise you to bring your information to the Gardai.
The best thing about having Joe Higgins in the room is that no matter how badly you’ve fluced up or how incompetent you’ve been you can look up and remember that you’re still a better option than Joe.
Traitors all of them, there is not one Irish patriot in the Dáil, not one. If you do not have the spine to know what is best for your country, to tell advisors to fk off, to tell Chosen bankers to fk off and print your own money, then you are undeserving to represent any nation of people. According to these people the Irish can go fk themselves, they’ll open the country to foreigners both Chosen bankers and immigrants, and clamp down hard on Irish people, and you know what, they’ll take it. All who opened up our country to bondholders, chosen bankers and immigration have blood on their hands.
Fat useless oompa loompa clown. …
Clara has let its village idiot out again ..https://youtu.be/HtOzdj5gRSc
Some FF supporters here, they must have forgotton to lock the secure ward agsin…
ugly inside and out horrible man
he looks very hitler-ish in the last photo
As ugly and arrogant as ever, stay classy Brian!
Is number 9 a go at him for being a bit of a nazi? Gesticulating. What a word.
Brian Clowen says he is ‘Happy’ with the decisions he made. Sure if he is happy sure its alright then, everyone of us should be happy… I doesn’t matter that he and his FF cronies bankrupted the country, saddled us with debts for generations, sure its alright he is HAPPY that the wonderful USC that he and FF brought in will be with us for generations. Clowens…..
I am so happy Cowen is sorry ( in Fr Jacks voice) but a lot of good sorry is doing the Country, we paid a high price for his SORRY, half the time he was drunk, why do people vote for such incompetent idiots, and now we have to suffer his brother, God help us but i ask the people of Sligo to vote independents that way we will rid the Country of the cute hureism that is rife in FF FG Lab FG.
glad he was able to take time away from his studies to help us out.
glad he could find time to help us out.
I am sick to my eye teeth of this repeat performance by so many” I’m sorry it happened blah blah blah” put your money where your big friggin mouth is and hand back your pension so ya tosspot
Glad he could take time away from his studies to help us all out.
have your say