February 2010

INTO in the News

Abolition of sick cover for teachers criticised - Irish Times
27th February 2010
The Abolition of a scheme that provides a panel of supply teachers to cover sick leave for some primary schools is "shortsighted" and will affect disadvantaged schools hardest, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has said. As part of Budget 2010, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe announced he would discontinue the Supply Panel Scheme this September. The scheme was piloted in 1993 and extended and made permanent in 1998...

Review shows no SNA concerns - Irish Examiner
26th February 2010
School inspectors have not outlined any concerns about more than 40 special needs assistant (SNA) posts at more than a dozen schools visited in the last 15 months. The findings in inspection reports published by the Department of Education yesterday and last month appear to contradict Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe’s insistence that many schools have kept SNAs employed after the pupils they were working with left or no longer needed them. An ongoing review of SNA posts in all 4,000 primary and second-level schools could result in almost 1,200 of about 10,500 jobs being axed…

Health Notes - Examiner – Supplement
26th February 2010
Children and teenagers are at most risk of contracting meningitis — inflammation of the lining that surround and protect the brain To address this the Meningitis Trust has developed a teachers' handbook Meningitis Education for all...

Teachers fear for jobs over sexuality - Belfast Telegraph
26th February 2010
Sheila Crowley, Chairperson of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) teachers' group is to address the union's northern conference in Londonderry...

Union leader warns that we're on brink of industrial strife - Connacht Tribune
26th February 2010
The country could face a further curtailment of services, and a nationwide set of rolling stoppages - if the government do not take public service pay discussions seriously...

INTO/EBS handwriting competition - Longford Leader
26th February 2010
Rules for teachers & pupils in Jan/ Feb entries will be judged on style, flair, neatness and layout of the handwriting. Entries must reach co-ordinator Mary McDermott, St Joseph's NS, Dublin Rd, Longford by Friday February 26th.

Schools face difficulties as unions step up ban - Irish Examiner
24th February 2010
Schools face difficulty in their day-to-day activities from the autumn as teacher unions step up a ban on doing the jobs of vacant management posts...

Morning Focus - Clare FM
24th February 2010
Sean McMahon (INTO) discusses the outcome of a meeting last night on public sector cuts, at which SIPTU president Jack O’ Connor spoke. Don Ryan (TUI) joins the discussion

Warning over escalation of industrial action - Morning Ireland RTE
24th February 2010
Pat McGrath outlines what union leaders said to 500 public sector employees gathered last night in Galway...

Siptu leader urges public sector to escalate action - Irish Times
24th February 2010
The leader of the country's largest trade union has warned public service workers that they must be prepared to embark on an escalating campaign of industrial action aimed at securing an agreement with the Government covering reform, job security and a framework for restoring pay rates or they could face more cuts later in the year...

Teachers can't access online encyclopaedia in their homes - Irish Independent
23rd February 2010
Knowledge on tap was what Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe promised, but unfortunately the flow is turned off when schools close. His department last year agreed to pay €450,000 annually to Encyclopaedia Britannica for teachers to access material online...

Mass union gathering to fight cuts - Irish Examiner
23rd February 2010
Hundreds of disaffected public sector workers will converge on Galway tomorrow for an update on the ongoing industrial action in protest at the budget pay cuts in the sector. Unions representing 175,000 of the country’s 300,000 public servants have arranged a mass meeting of members in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology...

O'Connor insists SIPTU will escalate action - RTE 9pm News
23rd February 2010
Public sector workers flocked to a meeting in Galway tonight (Sean McMahon, CEC Executive District XIII)...

Public sector workers meeting in Galway - RTE 6.01 News
23rd February 2010
A number of union leaders are set to speak at the meeting this evening...

Ratoath teacher wins bursary for education research - Meath Post
23rd February 2010
A Ratoath primary school teacher was announced as the winner of a national competition that will see him awarded money to conduct educational research. Gareth Burns, a teacher in St Paul's National School, is currently studying at St Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra, Dublin and working towards a Doctorate...

Ratoath teacher wins bursary for education research - Meath Chronicle
20th February 2010
Gareth Burns, a teacher in St Paul's NS, Ratoath, was last week named a winner of a bursary from the Irish National Teachers' Organisation to help fund education research...

Ensuring students have the 'write' skills - Drogheda Independent
17th February 2010
With texting and emailing taking over as the main form of communication amongst school children, it's easy to see how the art of handwriting could be lost. With that in mind, EBS Building Society and Irish National Teachers' Organisation INTO have launched the 2010 National Handwriting Competition and their campaign to enthuse students about the art of handwriting...

Kildare Today - KFM
17th February 2010
Sheila Nunan (Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, General Secretary) discusses the INTO’s criticism of the Government’s announcement of building funds for schools country-wide

The Morning Show - East Coast FM
17th February 2010
Peter Mullan (INTO) responds to details of the schools programme announced by Minister for Education Bat O’ Keeffe yesterday

Morning Ireland - RTE Radio 1
17th February 2010
Interview with Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe discusses the details of 52 school building projects that will go ahead this year as part of the government’s €579m school building programme. Sheila Nunan (INTO) outlines her concern over the number of schools that did not make the list  [7:38am] 8min...

EUR579m committed to school building - Irish Times
17th February 2010
Up to 52 schools out of more than 1,000 that have applied for building projects will receive funding to go to tender and construction this year, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe has said. The Government will spend €579 million on the school-building programme this year, creating 23,500 places in 20 new schools and 32 extensions, Mr O’Keeffe said...

Monty the python gives Lorraine a big laugh - Irish Independent
17th February 2010
Lorraine Keane, pictured with zookeeper Brendan Walsh, yesterday managed to maintain a smile when she met Monty the python. Maybe it was the fact that Brendan was by her side or maybe she had bonded with 12ft-long Monty, but the TV presenter kept her cool during a trip to Dublin Zoo...

52 school projects 'will not clear backlog' - Irish Independent
17th February 2010
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe was urged to reform the school-building programme as he unveiled details of 52 major building projects to go ahead this year. The planned construction includes 20 new schools and 32 extensions, creating 23,500 permanent school places, with two-thirds of them at primary level...

Six One News - RTE One
16th February 2010
The Department of Education has announced that 52 schools will go to tender as part of the school building programme. However, the INTO has accused the minister of rehashing some school projects announced by his predecessors. Interview with Batt O’Keefe TD (Minister for Education), Sheila Nunan (INTO) and Brian Hayes TD (Fine Gael)...

News at One - Northern Sound
16th February 2010
News Item: A Cavan teacher has won a bursary from the INTO which will help fund educational research. Mention of the Dept. of Education

Joe Finnegan - Northern Sound
16th February 2010
Máire Ní Chuinneagáin (Irish National Teachers’ Organisation) responds to calls for teachers to maintain a ‘respectable’ attitude outside of their jobs by, for example, avoiding drinking establishments. Listeners comment

FF using school projects for own gain - Irish Independent
15th February 2010
Minister Batt O'Keeffe is at the centre of a new controversy amid concerns that Fianna Fail TDs are getting early access to the school building programme to boost their popularity. The Department of Education has not yet published the EUR579m 2010 list, but Fianna Fail TDs have been making local announcements. The department's annual school building programme is one of the most eagerly anticipated announcements in the education calendar...

Campaign launched over class sizes in north - Irish News
15th February 2010
Smaller class sizes in Northern Ireland could almost double a year's educational development for some children, leading educationalists have claimed. The Irish National Teachers' Organisation and Ulster Teachers' Union have unveiling their ground-breaking joint campaign CrowdedOut?, which aims to tackle what they believe is a fundamental flaw in the north's education system...

Limerick Today - Limerick's Live 95FM
15th February 2010
Joe Lyons (Principal and INTO member) discusses the latest developments on the work-to-rule among members and the Bord Gáis photography competition for schools

Teachers learn a tough lesson - Sunday Business Post
14th February 2010
A series of cutbacks has seen many teachers head abroad to find pastures new, writes Emma Kennedy. The latest employment figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) paint a picture of a shrinking education sector. In the second quarter of last year, some 150,400 people were employed in educational jobs. By the third quarter, this figure had fallen to 139,200...

Teachers learn a tough lesson - Sunday Business Post
14th February 2010
A series of cutbacks has seen many teachers head abroad to find pastures new...

Work-to-rule becomes the unions' rule of thumb - Sunday Tribune
14th February 2010
"This is an automatic reply. As a member of the trade union SIPTU, John Murphy is currently on work to rule...

How religion made its way into primary school system - Irish Times
13th February 2010
I intend to write next week about some of the issues recently raised in connection with religion and education. But I do not think these matters can be usefully debated without a clear understanding of the complex historical background to the present arrangements in relation to primary education...

Protest over special needs cut - TV3 News
12th February 2010
Staff and students from a special needs school in Dublin stepped up their protest against cutbacks today. They staged a demonstration outside the Department of Education...

Dublin School in Appeal over Special Needs Assistants - RTE 6.01 News
12th February 2010
St. Joseph's Special School in Tallaght is appealing the decision to reduce its number of SNA's...

Mass meeting of Public Servants planned in City - Galway City Tribune
12th February 2010
A mass meeting of public servants from the health, education and local government sectors will take place in Galway the week after next. High-profile speakers at the meeting in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), at 7.30pm on Tuesday, February 23, will include Liam Doran (General Secretary, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation), Shay Cody (Deputy General Secretary, IMPACT), Sheila Nunan (General Secretary Designate, Irish National Teachers' Organisation and Vice President of ICTU'S Public Services Committee) and Jack O'Connor (General President, SIPTU)...

Study - Irish Examiner
12th February 2010
Tax breaks should be introduced to help unemployed engineers train as maths teachers and help existing maths teachers upskill, according to a study...

More science and a bit less religion - Irish Independent
12th February 2010
The solution to Ireland's problem of a poor take-up of maths and the sciences at higher level lies not only in awarding extra points for these subjects in the Leaving Certificate. We must also consider encouraging more qualified teachers into the teaching of the subjects by rewarding them with a salary premium...

Three Retiring Teachers Honoured - Laoise Nationalist
12th February 2010
Portlaoise branch of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) held a very successful retirement function in the Heritage Hotel Portlaoise last Wednesday to honour three recently retired teachers...

INTO Retirement Dinner - Connacht Tribune
12th February 2010
President of the INTO Maire Ni Chuinneagain, with Joyce Farnan, Bawnmore NS, Mary Howley, Boys NS, Oranmore, Muriel McDarby, Castlegar NS and Nollaig Osborne Collinamuck NS at the INTO Retirement Dinner at the Galway Bay Hotel.

Three retiring teachers honoured - Laoise Nationalist
12th February 2010
Portlaoise branch of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) held a very successful retirement function in the Heritage Hotel Portlaoise last Wednesday to honour three recently retired teachers...

Language support in schools 'essential' to avoid ghettoes - Irish Times
12th February 2010
Principals of multi-ethnic primary schools have warned an Oireachtas committee of the dangers of failing to address the educational needs of children with non-Irish parents...

Gogarty refuses to withdraw 'dregs' remark on shortage of school places - Irish Times
12th February 2010
Green Party TD Paul Gogarty has refused to withdraw a reference to children who had difficulties finding places in secondary schools as "the dregs"...

Ethnic pupils 'not being taught enough English' to cope in our schools - Irish Independent
12th February 2010
Children from non-Irish backgrounds are not being taught enough English in school to allow them to learn other subjects, primary principals said yesterday...

Time to ban calculators! - Irish Examiner
12th February 2010
Engineers Ireland has made some practical and valuable suggestions about how we teach maths. Their objective is to encourage more students to take maths at a higher level so they can consider science and engineering courses...

Principals lament cuts in English Language Services - RTE 6.01 News
11th February 2010
Principals of five multi-ethnic primary schools addressed an Oireachtas Committee today...

Lunchtime on 4 - 4fm
11th February 2010
New report into the Primary school curriculum warns that overload affects teachers and pupils – Interview: Maire Ni Chuinnegain (INTO) who says teachers will focus on the 3Rs.

Drivetime - RTE Radio 1
11th February 2010
Engineers’ call for better Maths teaching in schools -Interview: Brendan O’Sullivan (Primary teacher) on what needs to be done...

Drivetime - RTE Radio 1
11th February 2010
School principals appeared before a poorly attended Oireachtas Committee to discuss concerns about lack of adequate support for children of foreign born parents who often need extra support – Interview: Brendan Forde (Prinicpal)...

Primary pupils and teachers 'overloaded' by curriculum - Irish Independent
11th February 2010
Confidential report warns children missing out due to time constraints. Children are missing out in primary schools because teachers don't have time to get through the curriculum...

Unions launch campaign for smaller class sizes - Irish News
11th February 2010
Two of the north's teachers' unions are launching a campaign to cut class sizes. The joint campaign involving the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and the Ulster Teachers' Union (UTU) will tackle what the unions believe is a "a fundamental flaw in Northern Ireland's educational system"...

Contest aims to keep handwriting alive - Tuam Herald
11th February 2010
Galway pupils can show they have the 'write' stuff for handwriting by entering the 2010 National Handwriting Competition run by EBS and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO)...

Retiring INTO members - Midland Tribune
11th February 2010
Three INTO members who retired recently from local schools pictured at a retirement function in Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea. Front (l. to r.): Mr. Louis Cooley, retired from Scoil Eoin Naofa Roscrea, Mrs. Nora Loughnane, retired from Sacred Heart Convent school, An t-Uas. Seamus O Riain, retired from Dunkerrin NS. Back row: Jim McMahon, Chairman Roscrea Branch INTO. Mrs. Marion Flanagan, Secretary Roscrea Branch INTO. Mr. Sean McMahon CEC

EBS and INTO launch Handwriting Competition - Offaly Express
10th February 2010
Students in Offaly are being called on put their handwriting skills to the test in a new EBS and INTO competition. The competition, now in its 18th year, is open to all national schools in Offaly and throughout the country. Its focus is to keep the art of handwriting alive in the schools across the country...

Funding for Heritage Projects - Sligo Post
10th February 2010
Grant schemes for heritage projects in the county have been announced and groups can now apply for funding. Local authority grants for the Conservation of Protected Structures, Community Heritage Grant Scheme and Heritage in Schools Grant Scheme are available...

Anger as Special Needs Staff Axed - Daily Mirror
9th February 2010
The Government sparked outrage last night after it was revealed hundreds of special needs assistants will be given the boot on Friday...

Reverse decision to axe supply teacher panels - Sunday Tribune
7th February 2010
As a permanent, substitute primary teacher in the Ballymun/Finglas area for the past 16 years, I fully agree with incoming INTO General Secretary, Sheila Nunan, who has called on minister Batt O'Keefe to reverse the decision to abolish panels of supply teachers...

Public sector unions move to reduce membership fees - Sunday Tribune
7th February 2010
Most public sector unions are set to reduce membership fees or have already done so following the pay cuts imposed in December's budget. The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), which charges a set annual fee of EUR386, will discuss a motion at its conference in Galway at Easter to decrease fees by around 6%...

The Week in Politics - RTE One
7th January 2010
Micheal Lehane reports on the future of Catholic-controlled primary schools. Interview with Fr Michael Drumm (Catholic Schools Partnership), Aine Lynch (National Parents Council), Michael Moriarty (Irish Vocational Education Association) and Finian McGrath TD (Independent). John Gormley TD (Minister for the Environment), Lucinda Creighton TD (Fine Gael) and Senator Joe O’Toole (Independent) are interview in studio.

Bullies use 'gay' taunts to target 10-year-olds in primary school - Irish Independent
6th January 2010
Parents want issue addressed. BOYS as young as 10 are being subjected to homophobic taunts in school with fellow pupils calling them "gay and lesbian"...

Handwriting Competition Launchied - Nenagh Guardian
6th February 2010
EBS Building Society in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) have launched the 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition and their campaign to highlight the art of handwriting...

Calling all neat writers from County Meath - Meath Chronicle
6th February 2010
EBS Building Society, in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers ' Organisation (INTO), last week launched the annual 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition and its campaign to highlight the art of handwriting...

Kerry Today - Radio Kerry
5th February 2010 
Marian Curtin (Competition co-ordinator for Kerry) discusses the EBS INTO nationwide handwriting competition.

INTO calls for U-turn on supply teachers - Irish Times
5th February 2010
The INTO has called on Minister for Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe to reverse the decision to abolish panels of supply teachers. The union says the Minister should follow the recommendations of a consultants' report to the department and reform the system. Established in 1993, the Teacher Supply Panel scheme helps schools provide substitute cover for short-term teacher absences...

Universities paid Ibec almost €900,000 in fees - IrishTimes.com
5th February 2010
The seven universities have paid close to €900,000 in fees to employers’ group Ibec over the past four years. Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show the universities paid fees totalling €244, 770 in 2008. Total fees paid by the university sector were €184,000 in 2005, €214,000 in 2006 and €230,000 in 2007...

INTO/ESB Handwriting Competition Underway - Longford Leader
5th February 2010
The 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition is underway! Now in its 1 8th year, this competition is open to all national schools throughout the region and its focus is to keep the art of handwriting alive...

'Heritage in the School Scheme' - Leitrim Observer
5th February 2010
New 'Heritage in the School Scheme' specialist available to primary schools. The Heritage Council in association with the Irish National Teachers Association (INTO) offer the services of a range of local heritage specialists...

Reviving art of penmanship - Irish Examiner
4th February 2010
EBS Building Society in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) have launched the 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition. The competition, now in its 18th year, is open to all national schools and its focus is to keep the art of handwriting alive. Entries are received in categories ranging from infants to 6th class, with a special education prize also being awarded. The closing date for entries February 26. The National Prize giving ceremony will take place in Dublin on Saturday, April 24.

EBS and INTO launch the 2010 National Handwriting Competition - Waterford Today
3rd February 2010
EBS Building Society in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has launched the 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition and their campaign to highlight the art of handwriting...

EBS and I.N.T.O launch the 2010 National Handwriting comeptition in Tipperary - South Tipp Today
3rd February 2010
And their campaign to enthuse students about the ART of handwriting...

Launch of schools handwriting competition - Roscommon Champion
3rd February 2010
EBS Building Society in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has launched the 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition and their campaign to highlight the art of handwriting...

Children invited to enter handwriting competition - Northside People
3rd February 2010
Northside children are being invited to take part in a handwriting competition. EBS Building Society, in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), has launched the 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition...

Write this way - Galway Independent
3rd February 2010
A competition to highlight the art of handwriting has been launched by EBS Building Society in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Association (INTO)...

Handwriting competition launched - Donegal People\'s Press
2nd February 2010
EBS Building Society in conjunction with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has launched the 2010 INTO/EBS National Handwriting Competition and their campaign to highlight the art of handwriting...

Keep special needs classes if students need them - report - Irish Times
2nd February 2010
Pupils who require special needs support should be accommodated in special needs classes, a forthcoming report from the National Council for Special Education will recommend...

Principals threaten transfer test boycott - Irish News
1st February 2010
Primary principals are threatening to withdraw all support for unofficial 11-plus tests over "crazy" demands being made of them by grammar schools. Headteachers are outraged at being asked to provide files on pupil performance to help grammars choose between children...

Morning Focus - Clare FM
1st February 2010
Five Clare primary schools are to get a new teacher - Interview with Sean McMahon (Clare INTO) who welcomes the news but says it shouldn’t have come to this. Pat Gough (Irish primary Principals’ Network) joins the discussion and also addresses the issue of cuts in special needs assistants.