It was cold. It was very wet. Even so, 12,000 people stood on Molesworth Street and gave a clear signal to the government that the budget cuts to education were wrong. I stood around amongst the sea of slogans – some of which were brilliant, (Battman Robin our kids, Taoiseach Leave our Kids Alone, All in all Batt’s just another brick in the Dáil, Off to China like a Batt our of Our hell, etc.) There were about a dozen speakers most of who didn’t speak loudly enough, which was a pity. To be honest and I don’t feel right saying this… I thought the Sinn Féin TD was the best of the lot. There were a lot of great speakers and the ones who called a chorus of cheers and boos kept us going as the rain poured down. After an hour and a half, it was over.
The next morning a vote would be made by all TDs on whether they should accept these cuts. Six Green Party TDs had our children’s futures in their hands. Many many people in the country believed that they would do the right thing, the moral thing, and vote against Fianna Fáil – a party that has wasted all the years of wealth we had and single-handedly (well with a bit of help from the PDs) brought us into a recession.
They didn’t.
I must say that I was surprised as I really thought the Green Party were moralistic. I really thought they didn’t care about being in power more than doing the right thing. Seeing as the final vote seemed to give a majority win for the government with or without the Greens’ votes, I was shocked they all didn’t abstain from voting at least.
Can I second these comments?
Well done!
Love the poster ideas. I am also really disappointed in the greens as I voted for them, too! 🙁
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1104/1225523343200.html
THE DEPARTMENT of Education is moving to establish a new partnership with the main US computer companies amid increasing concern about the state of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Irish schools.
Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe yesterday met representatives of Apple, Hewlett Packard and Microsoft. In the coming days and weeks, he plans to meet Dell, Intel and Lenovo.
Last night the Minister said: “This series of meetings is designed to explore innovative and cost-effective ways in which ICT providers could work with my department in delivering computer hardware to schools.
“While the development of a possible delivery partnership arrangement is very much in its infancy, the meetings so far have been very positive. I look forward to shortly receiving a range of options from the industry which might point a way forward.
“In these more challenging economic times, it’s all the more important to examine cost-effective delivery models for our schools.”
The Minister has asked the ICT operators to come back to him in the very near future with a set of options.
These should point towards “cost-effective, affordable and innovative ways” in which the Government could establish a partnership arrangement with the private sector in delivering computer hardware to schools, he said.
The options under discussion include new leasing arrangements, discounted equipment and “a buy-one-get-one-free” offer.
As part of the €252 million investment under the National Development Plan (NDP), some 11,000 teachers are undergoing training in ICT proficiency.
The €252 million commitment by the Government covers the next seven years.
Each year, €14 million is being spent under the NDP fund on such ICT initiatives, but the Republic still lags well behind other OECD states in ICT investment.
The Minister says his longer term goal is to increase the take-up of science, engineering and technology courses at third-level in the building of Ireland’s knowledge economy. Stimulating an interest in computer technology in the classroom can only aid that endeavour, he said.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland has said that over half of school computers are unusable.
At present, the Republic is close to the bottom of OECD tables in relation to ICT facilities in schools.
In Northern Ireland some €75 million is spent annually on school ICT, and all principals and teachers have laptops for educational use.
What do you think?