Kilkenny student wins national spelling bee
July 9, 2012
A KILKENNY student has finished in first place at the Eason All-Ireland Spelling Bee Championships 2012.
Liam O’ Lionaird, aged 11, from Gaelscoil Osrai in Loughboy won the competition, which is organised by Eason in partnership with RTÉ 2fm. Kicking off his Spelling Bee journey as the representative of Gaelscoil Osrai school, Liam soared through the Kilkenny county bee, taking the top prize.
He then made his way to the Leinster Provincial Final where he then competed against 11 County Bee Winners to take the title for the province. Next and final stop was the grand final that took place today in RTÉ, where Liam mastered the spelling of words such ‘Bathysphere’ and ‘Bibliography’ to be the crowned the overall champion live on RTÉ 2fm.
This year’s spelling bee saw the introduction of the county bees, which took place in each of the 32 counties nationwide, followed by four provincial finals where RTÉ 2fm’s Ryan Tubridy broadcast live capturing the buzz and excitement which then culminated in the grand final in RTE Studios.
Speaking at the Eason 2012 Spelling Bee Final, RTÉ 2fm presenter Ryan Tubridy said he had enjoyed every minute.
“This week we’ve travelled to Limerick, Galway, Cavan and back to Dublin, and we got to experience the whole spelling bee buzz firsthand,” he said.
“The endless efforts from all the schools in preparing the kids and hosting the events has been incredible but what’s even more astounding is the spelling ability of the kids. I’m delighted for Liam who is our champion but would like to congratulate each and every school who took part.”
Also speaking at final, David Field, head of marketing at Eason said:
“Congratulations to Liam on being crowned this year’s champion and winning an entire library of books for Gaelscoil Oscrai school. We’re so delighted with this year’s Spelling Bee and would like to thank RTÉ 2fm for their support together with the hundreds of schools who really made our Spelling Bee such a success.”
The Eason Spelling Bee is one of many Eason initiatives seeking to encourage kids to perfect their spelling and also to hone their pronunciation skills. For more details on the Eason Spelling Bee, visit www.easons.com/spellingbee and stay tuned to RTÉ 2fm for more details.
Saving the Gaeltacht
July 9, 2012
A chara, – Your editorial on the plight of the Gaeltacht (June 25th) appeared in the wake of a specially convened congress held in Dublin on June 23rd and organised by the INTO to ballot members on a strategy to support the plight of small schools.
Changes to the staffing schedule for schools with four teachers or fewer, introduced by this Government in its December budget, have been seen by many communities as a threat to the future well-being and viability of their local schools.
Schools that serve the Gaeltacht communities are most at risk. One of the speakers at the congress spoke of her frustration and sadness as she locked the doors of her Donegal Gaeltacht school for the final time last week. The pupils in that school will complete their primary education in a neighbouring school in which Irish is not the primary language of instruction.
This situation is replicated in many Gaeltacht communities. The long-term effect of these closures will be detrimental to both the language and culture of this island. At a time when Irish is being studied by students in university campuses throughout the world, could we as a nation live with the shame of letting it become a “dead language” here at home?
Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam.
– Is mise,
Colin Quigley, Steeple Manor, Trim, Co Meath.
www.irishtimes.com
EU investment bank to lend State €100m for schools
July 9, 2012
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has said he hopes the European Investment Bank will commit ¤1 billion a year to Ireland in future, following the announcement of a €100 million loan for school buildings.
EIB president Werner Hoyer, who met a series of senior Government figures in Dublin yesterday, said the money for the school-building programme would make a “small but not insignificant contribution” to job creation here.
The EIB is the European Union’s bank and its shareholders are the 27 member states, which have jointly subscribed its capital. Mr Noonan said the bank had provided Ireland with very significant investment funding in the past and he hoped that could be expanded.
“At present they’re committed to about a half a billion a year, if you could get it flowing freely, and over a period of time that adds up. If we could double that it would have an impact on the infrastructure, it would make our economy more productive and it would lead to the kind of job creation we need,” he said.
The “confidence-building” impact of the investment in school buildings should not be underestimated at a time when people were “beginning to feel a little better about the economy”, he added.
“If there’s a lot of schools being built all over the country you have activity again in the towns and villages, and it’s activity that people can identify with because it’s the schools their kids will be attending,” he said.
Mr Hoyer, speaking after a meeting with Mr Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin yesterday morning, said the EIB was committed to building on its strong partnership with Ireland. Mr Hoyer said he thought the school-building projects could begin quickly.
“Most of these things can be done immediately because the need is there,” he said.
Mr Howlin said the Government was anxious to secure cofunding of school buildings and the education sphere generally, as well as roads and other infrastructure. “What’s announced today is extremely important in and of itself but it’s part of, I hope, a series of much bigger announcements,” he said.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny later said the European Council decision last week had allowed for a further “injection” of finance into the EIB, “which leverages up extra finance for budgets that are economically viable and sustainable”.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said the €100 million loan would support his department’s capital investment programme. He announced details in March of 275 school- building projects worth €1.5 billion to begin by 2016. The EIB loan would assist in funding this investment, he said.
The loan will be used in the construction and upgrading of 35 primary and 12 second-level schools around the country, with construction work expected to be finished by 2014.
Mr Quinn said the loan would prove “immensely beneficial” in enabling implementation of the programme in the most cost-effective manner for the taxpayer.
The loan will be managed by the National Treasury Management Agency on behalf of the State.
www.irishtimes.com
Grúpa nua tuistí agus leanaí bunaithe i gCeatharlach
July 5, 2012
Deireadh le samhail
July 4, 2012
Foras na Gaeilge ditches funding plan
July 2, 2012
Cross-Border Irish-language body Foras na Gaeilge has abandoned its controversial “new funding model” following a board meeting in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal.
The body said on Friday it would not proceed with the “new funding model” but would instead try to find an alternative solution to “restructuring” the Irish-language sector while “co-operating” with other language groups.
The announcement marks a major reversal in policy for Foras na Gaeilge, which had been promoting the proposal as an alternative to the core funding of Irish organisations.
It wanted to replace the current practice of giving financial aid to established organisations to carry out work and introduce a scheme-based system which would have seen interested parties tender for projects.
Language-planning experts and the groups affected had criticised the plan as unworkable.
Foras na Gaeilge has now decided to give grants of €6.7 million to groups until June 2013 while it looks at other possibilities to replace the abandoned funding arrangement.
www.irishtimes.com
Revealed: The 18 Northern Ireland schools which will share £173m cash pot
June 29, 2012
Eighteen schools will receive new facilities as part of a £173 million investment, Education Minister John O’Dowd has said.
The money includes payments for five special schools. A total of 17 of the schools will be rebuilt.
Foyle College in Derry and Victoria Park primary school in Belfast are among those granted funding, Mr O’Dowd added.
He said: “This will be good news for the pupils and communities directly affected. A world-class educational environment will help us deliver the improvements in educational outcomes we are working so hard to achieve.”
It is the first money made available for major projects since August 2010 when capital spending was frozen. Some schools have been waiting years for urgent rebuilding or refurbishment.
Plans were cancelled while administrators decided where new schools were needed.
Almost two years ago, then education minister Caitriona Ruane released £23 million for 13 schools.
All those projects have been built or are nearing completion.
Mr O’Dowd said there was a clear need for considerable investment in infrastructure.
He added: “The need for investment far exceeds the funding available. While I would like to be in a position to fund everything that needs doing now, I must work within the budget available. This means difficult decisions on future investment plans.”
He said the schools were identified as the highest priority projects following a rigorous selection process.
“No-one visiting our special schools could remain unmoved by the needs of the children attending these facilities. I would dearly like to be able to advance every deserving case immediately,” he added.
“However, within the limits of the funding available to me, I am determined that we make progress with a number of cases at this time.”
In addition to plans for St Gerard’s Resource Centre in west Belfast to occupy a former school and Arvalee Special School to be part of the redevelopment of the former Lisanelly army camp in Omagh, the list of projects to proceed is:
- Colaiste Feirste, Belfast – £11.9 million
- St Clare’s Convent & St Colman’s Abbey Primary School, Newry – £6 million
- St Joseph’s Convent Primary School, Newry – £5.8 million
- Dromore Central Primary School – £11.4 million
- Eglinton Primary School – £2.5 million
- Tannaghmore Primary School, Lurgan – £6 million
- Ebrington Controlled Primary School, Derry – £4.5 million
- Foyle College, Derry – £19.6 million
- St Teresa’s Primary School, Lurgan – £3 million
- Victoria Park Primary School, Belfast – £4.9 million
- Enniskillen Model Primary School – £5.7 million
- St Mary’s Primary School, Banbridge – £5.1 million
- Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain, Belfast – £2.5 million
- Belmont House Special School, Derry – £7.4 million
- Rossmar Special School, Limavady – £6.4 million
- Castle Tower, Ballymena – £21.8 million.
Alongside the immediate commencement of these new builds, Mr O’Dowd announced funding to progress a number of additional projects through the planning process.
This will allow building work to commence more quickly when future funding becomes available. In the autumn the minister will unveil a further list of projects to be taken forward.
Mr O’Dowd also announced the establishment of a new Schools Enhancement Programme.
This programme will make available funding of up to £4 million for any individual project refurbishing or extending existing schools. Priority will be given to those supporting amalgamation or rationalisation.
Initially up to £20 million will be available for this programme in 2013-14 with the option of increasing this in 2014-15 depending on the number and quality of proposals.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
INTO task force seeks meeting with minister on small schools
June 29, 2012
Donegal teachers have contributed to an Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) task force report that seeks to protect two-, three- and four-teacher schools from cuts that will hit small rural schools particularly hard.
Michael Weed, a teacher at Meenagowan National School in Lettermacaward, and a member of the INTO Central Executive Committee for Donegal and Leitrim said the task force recommendations look to protect Gaeltacht, minority-faith and other smaller schools.
“We’re not looking for a total reversal of schedules, but we’re saying staffing schedules should not be the only criteria by which a school loses a teacher,” said Mr. Weed, who also served on the task force.
He said the INTO will contact the Department of Education and Skills to seek a meeting with Minister Ruairi Quinn, TD, to discuss the recommendations.
The task force presented their 10 recommendations to 700 delegates at a special INTO Congress on Saturday, June 23rd, in the Aviva in Dublin. The task force has been meeting on the matter since Easter.
The report comes in response to government proposals to increase the number of pupils a national school must enrol to maintain current staffing levels. The INTO recommendations seek to prevent changes in the staffing schedule being implemented in schools with three or four teachers.
In addition, the INTO believes that a minimum enrolment should not on its own determine whether a school appoints or retains a second teacher. Among the other factors the INTO believe should be considered are: geographical remoteness, distance from other schools of the same ethos, special consideration for schools serving Gaeltacht communities and the fabric of the school building.
Delegates to the special INTO Congress, in discussions that lasted more than three hours, also discussed possible arrangements for incentivised voluntary amalgamations, shared services between smaller schools and the potential engagement with the department in the pursuit of the staffing objectives.
This is an issue affecting small schools across the country, not solely in Donegal. Mr. Weed said one of the delegates was the principal of a four-teacher school in Dublin, indicating that even urban areas are home to small schools.
“There aren’t many, but there are some,” he said. Still, the task force member said Donegal is particularly hard hit.
“We’re not putting it out as PR or propaganda,” Mr. Weed said. “Donegal is going to be badly hit.” The enrolment proposals increase each year for three years, so the impact on small schools will continue to be felt.
“Any time a family leaves or emigrates from a small school or rural community. The numbers will drop again,” he said www.donegaldemocrat.ie
A parental poll on school patronage
June 29, 2012
Sir, –
Regarding the proposed new school patronage, I am very surprised our Minister for Education has decided that no public meeting will be allowed and that town hall meetings and other activi ties which might whip up a “media frenzy” are to be prohibited (Seán Flynn, Home News June 21st).
How can a Minister deny parents their right to meet and discuss such an important matter? It would appear that he believes parents are not capable of calm and rational discussion concerning their own children.
It is sad to think that parents are held in such low esteem by our Minister for Education. I would have expected that this type of diktat is more reminiscent of former communist regimes rather than a modern democracy.
It would also be very interesting to hear from the present school patrons as to whether or not they agree with this approach.
– Yours, etc,
Gerry Curran,
Manor Kilbride, Blessington, Co Wicklow
www.irishtimes.com
Irish language media make a Rí-rá about going online
June 27, 2012
A new online media resource for Irish speakers – Meon Eile (meoneile.ie) – has gone live.
The site, launched in Belfast on Monday, aims to give browsers regular written news, sport, music and cultural features as well as videos in Irish. Meon Eile’s producer Sinéad Ingoldsby said they intended to produce high-quality material and “interesting stories on a user-friendly site” to cater for Irish speakers on the web.
Raidió Rí-Rá (rrr.ie), an Irish-language station which plays chart music for young people, also announced Monday that they would begin to broadcast live on the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) platform in Dublin and Waterford this Sunday, in Cork and Limerick by the end of 2012 and nationally after that.
As well as being online, Raidió Rí-Rá is available on iPhone, Nokia and Android phones through the TuneIn application.
www.irishtimes.com
