Club Óige Setanta joins Youth in Action Programme
October 15, 2012
Irish language youth club Club Óige Setanta, based in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry, has won funding from the European Union to run a joint youth exchange with a youth group from Bilbao, Spain.
Eight young people and three leaders from the club will travel to Bilbao on October 27 and stay until November 3. The young people will be working together on the promotion of understanding between minority language youths; of links between minority language groups to help tackle difficulties experienced, and the promotion of the support provided by the European Union. Club Óige Setanta won the funding through the Youth in Action programme managed in the UK by the British Council and funded by the European Union.
The programme helps young people to become active citizens and better equipped for the world of work, and promotes solidarity, social cohesion and co-operation within Europe and neighbouring countries. Sinéad Warnock, group leader with Club Óige Setanta told the ‘Journal’: “I really think our young people will take a lot away from this trip, not only will they get to experience a new culture but they’ll have an inside view into how local Basque people view their own culture and language. This will in turn heighten their interest and understanding of how they themselves fit into Irish culture and we hope that they will gain a sense of pride as they begin to understand their importance as speakers of their native tongue and what advantages this in turn offers them.” Head of EU Programmes at the British Council, Simon William, added: “Youth in Action aims to prepare young people for life and work in our global society.” “Initiatives like this one help to build trust and understanding between people of different cultures. They also broaden our young peoples’ horizons and equip them with the skills and understanding they need to become global citizens.”
For more information on Club Óige Setanta, please contact Sinéad Warnock on: 71 264132 or 07849394001 or email: sinead@culturlann-doire.ie.
www.derryjournal.com
Up to 5,000 teachers in the firing line for cuts
October 15, 2012
MORE than 5,000 teachers face losing their allowances under a government review.
One of the targets is an allowance of between €532 and €1,572 paid to more than 2,750 primary and post-primary principals. Two in three of the country’s principals are in receipt of the payment for acting as secretary to the school board of management. The payment of a similar allowance to principals acting as secretary to a board of management in an institute of technology is also under scrutiny. Special allowances paid to teachers who teach through Irish, work in the Gaeltacht or who work on an island, are also being targeted for abolition.
The Gaeltacht grant is worth €3,063 to about 780 primary and post-primary teachers, while about 1,800 receive an annual €1,583 for teaching through Irish. About 30 teachers are in receipt of the island allowance, which is worth €1,842 per year. Department of Public expenditure and Reform general secretary Robert Watt has told the Department of Education that these were the priority for elimination. The proposal will now be discussed with the trade unions.
www.independent.ie
Tá eagla orm ahead of Gaelscoil grilling
October 15, 2012
I’ve been summoned to an interview for a primary school.
Not for me — for Miss Almost Nine Months old. Yes, seriously! Apparently, it’s time to secure a place for September 2016. We decided on a Gaelscoil, so a friend advised me to speak as Gaeilge during the interview to create the ‘right’ impression. So … this very bun-leibheal mammy will attempt to caint enough Gaeilge to wedge little missy’s foot firmly in the doras. Oh ta eagla orm! I really didn’t expect this but perhaps it’s to check if I’ll tuig the parent-teacher meetings. Of course, if she’s like mise, I’ll get by on ‘Cailin dana’ agus ‘Ta si ag caint gan stad!’
Now, when it comes to Conas ata tus, I can hold my own and even show off with my Dia is Muire Duit a Iosa. But beyond that, it’s going to be an uphill struggle — which is a disgrace and why we want her to go to a Gaelscoil and acquire more than just a cupla focal. Agus Dadai? He’s suggested that he doesn’t attend as his Irish is limited to “Ta an-athas orm an corn seo a ghlacadh ar foireann Uibh Fhaili”. Mind you, with him being a Biffo, it’s a rare occasion that he gets to say or hear it! So it’s just mise. But I’ve a plan. I’m going to replicate my Irish oral exam; learn and regurgitate a big spiel as soon as I’m asked a question, any question, thus preventing the muinteoir from getting a word in edgeways.
It’s a risky strategy I know, but my only other Irish trick is to do my one, two, threes. They are rather impressive. I think. I could even put my hands behind my back and accompany it with a rendition of Aon Focal Eile. But dadai assures me that whatever damage my Gaeilge or his GAA speech might do, my dancing would be a fait accompli.
Let’s just hope they don’t read this! If they do, gabh mo leithsceal, ta bron orm.
www.independent.ie
Parents to be surveyed on school patronage
October 15, 2012
Another area of Dublin has been included in the list of areas where parents will be surveyed on the possibility of replacing a Catholic primary school with a new patron.
The Department of Education is to begin surveying five of the areas this month and extend it to the other 39 areas next month. However, it is understood issues which have arisen with some parties to the process have delayed the exercise. The announcement of a new primary school to be opened in Dublin 4 in the short-term, means prospective patrons are now being asked instead if they wish to take over a school in the Ballyfermot/Chapelizod/Palmerstown area. The Irish Examiner has also learned at least five groups have expressed interest in becoming patrons of new schools in some or most of the 43 areas already identified, in the event there is parental demand for change.
They include established patrons: City and county VECs in the relevant areas, the multi-denominational schools group Educate Together, and all-Irish schools’ patron An Foras Pátrúnachta. Interest has also been expressed by Nigerian-founded church the Redeemed Christian Church of God, which applied unsuccessfully last year to become patron in three areas of Dublin where new primary schools are planned. The National Learning Network has also sought to become a patron. The applicant patrons will be banned from doing leaflet drops under a Department of Education code aimed at ensuring a level playing field. A spokesperson for the department said details of the survey process and where they will be carried out will be announced later this month. In each area, the parents of all primary pupils and those with children not yet at school will be asked if they are satisfied with current choices of schools and, if not, which of the patrons interested in taking over a school in their area they would prefer. The areas include 12 in the Dublin Catholic archdiocese, and four each in Tuam, Killaloe, and Waterford & Lismore. There are three areas each in the Cloyne and Cork & Ross dioceses.
www.irishexaminer.com
Saturday club – Naíscoil Éadain Mhóir
October 15, 2012
Naíscoil Éadain Mhóir will open a free of charge Saturday Fun Club for nursery school children this weekend.
Naíscoil teacher, Mairéad Mc Daid, will offer Naíscoil children and their parents a chance to learn Irish songs and rhymes, listen to Irish language stories and have fun playing together in a fully equipped nursery school. The one hour long Irish language club, commences at 11am and will initially run for six weeks. Any parent interested in attending can contact Múinteoir Mairéad at Naíscoil and Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir, Brandywell , Derry on 02871268020 to register.
www.derryjournal.com
Oifigeach Forbartha Ógras
October 15, 2012
Free Hallowe’en Posters
October 12, 2012
You can download a free Hallowe’en poster from An Ionad Buail Isteach (image below). Hard copies can be ordered by sending an email to ionadbuailisteach@gmail.com and indicate if it’s A4 or A3 you need.
Have a happy Hallowe’en!
New Building System for Schools
October 12, 2012
If your school is planning expansion and extension works over the next couple of years, we want to bring to your attention to an alternative to conventional construction that is more cost effective, far quicker to construct, gauranteed for minumum of 30 years, complies with building regulations and is becoming increasingly popular among schools in Ireland.
Sprung Structures supply individually engineered framed membrane structures. The image below illustrates our latest completion at Blackrock College, Co. Dublin.
If you are attending next weeks NAPD conference in Galway then we look forward to seeing you there, or alternatively please do not hesitate to get in contact with us for more information.
CI Structures Ltd
Tel: 01 473 0823
Mobile: 087 672 7659
Web Address: www.cistructures.com
€5m Gaelic school has no head
October 12, 2012
IT was given £ 4m (€ 5m) to become established and has more than 150 willing pupils. But for a Gaelic school in Scotland there is still one snag – it cannot find a head teacher that speaks the language. Bunsgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis, or Inverness Gaelic primary school in the Highlands, has failed seven times in the past three years to recruit a Gaelic speaker for the £ 48,000- a- year post. It even had to rely on a Swedish teacher, who has been learning the language, to act as head. But Annika Jansson is leaving and her only potential replacement is a non- Gaelic speaker.
Critics of the school said the failure underlines the “futility” of trying to keep Gaelic alive as a first language and is a waste of money. Parents of the 155 pupils have launched their own attempt to fill the position with a qualified head. Jim Crawford, an Inverness councillor, said: “To have a head teacher from Sweden in a Gaelic- speaking school in the Highland capital underlines the futility of the Gaelic programme.
“It’s outrageous, especially at a time when ordinary schools are considering cutting back to a four- day week to save money. But it seems we’ll spend money on Gaelic willy- nilly.”
At the last census, a little more than 59,000 people in Scotland spoke Gaelic, a decline of almost 7,000 in a decade. ( © Daily Telegraph, London)
www.independent.ie
Foilsithe ar 12 Deireadh Fómhair 2012
Letter reveals list of 88 allowances to be abolished
October 11, 2012
LAST MONTH the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin faced strong criticism when his long-promised review of public service allowances appeared to backfire badly.
Cuts were, in the main, to be applied to new entrants with only one allowance paid to serving staff earmarked for abolition. Overall the reforms were to generate only about €3.5 million rather than €75 million in savings which had been flagged beforehand. At the time Howlin said that management in different parts of the public service would begin, or continue, to engage with unions in relation to allowances for serving personnel “to establish the best way of modernising the pay structure and eliminating outdated arrangements”. However, at the time this was largely overlooked, perhaps understandably, as neither Howlin nor his department provided any further explanation.
Yesterday in a surprise development, health service unions were shown a letter from the secretary general of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Robert Watt, dated September 28th, which indicated that it had a priority list of 88 allowances for serving personnel which it wanted abolished. The department later confirmed that it had sent similar letters to all departments. The letter states:
“Your Department must engage immediately with staff interests with a view to securing their early agreement to the elimination of those allowances payable within your Department to current beneficiaries, where no business case exists to pay such allowances to new beneficiaries.”
Already some unions have voiced opposition to the Government’s new move on allowances. However, as the measures are being proposed under the Croke Park agreement it is expected that they will now use the dispute mechanisms set out in the deal to argue their case. Ultimately, this can result in a binding ruling in the Labour Court. Last night the Minister said he favoured “the use of a dedicated fast-track arbitration process for all such cases”.
In the event of staff losing out on allowances it is likely that they would be compensated using a formula of 1½ times the annual loss which has been used previously in relation to the Croke Park agreement.
Sectoral allowances in the spotlight
Allowances proposed for elimination include:
EDUCATION SECTOR
Allowance for principals who act as secretary to board of management
Gaeltacht grant
Teaching through Irish
Island allowance
HEALTH SECTOR
Consultants’ continuing medical education allowance
Gaeltacht allowance
Travel allowance for non-nursing personnel
Island inducement allowance
JUSTICE SECTOR (Garda)
Clerical allowance
Gaeltacht allowance
Promotion exam grant
Transport allowance
Exam bonus – inspector
Bicycle allowance
Aran island allowance
JUSTICE SECTOR (Prison Service)
Industrial supervisor (kitchen and bakery)
Hospital orderly
Plain clothes (certain grades)
Tuck shop allowance
Locking area allowance
DEFENCE SECTOR
Border duty allowance
Search and rescue allowance
Civilian clothing allowance
Underwear and night attire
Chaplains’ housekeepers allowance
www.irishtimes.com
Foilsithe ar 11 Deireadh Fómhair 2012
