May 2011

INTO in the Media

Weak kids are caught in the web - Star
31st May 2011
Outdoor fun vital for gamers. Parents have been urged to restrict children's access to computer games after new research found that kids are physically weaker than they we're a decade ago....Teachers' groups also said they were worried by the findings. Peter Mullan, INTO spokesman, said members had in recent years expressed concerns about rising levels of obesity among primary schoolchildren. He added: "Too many Irish schools lack an indoor PE facility."

Deise AM - WLR
30th May 2011
Unqualified Teaching Staff
Peter Mullan of the INTO discusses the recent instructions to schools to prioritise the hiring of qualified teachers over unqualified and retired teachers from September.

One News - Clare FM
30th May 2011
Unqualified Teaching
Government attempts to stop unqualified persons teaching. Sean McMahon (INTO) claims the new measures are inadequate (interview).

Morning Focus - Clare FM
30th May 2011
Employment of Unqualified Teachers
Figures released from the Department of Education recently show that half all 3,200 primary schools in the country employed an unqualified teacher for up to one week during the first half of this school year. Senator Tony Mulcahy expresses his concerns on the issue. [9:04am] Sean McMahon (INTO Representative) discusses further.

Quinn order on qualified teachers - Irish Times
28th May 2011
Schools have been instructed to prioritise the hiring of qualified teachers over unqualified and retired teachers from September....The move was criticised by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation. Last month the primary teachers' union voted not to work with unqualified teachers from September...

Unqualified allowed to teach despite crackdown - Irish Independent
28th May 2011
INTO angry over lack of blanket ban. People with no teaching qualifications will still be allowed to work in schools from September, despite a new crackdown by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn...

Successful I.N.T.O. Education Fair Returns - Northern Standard
26th May 2011
Craobh Mhuineachain INTO will hold its Annual Education Fair on Thursday, June 2nd from 2 pm -6pm in the Conference Centre of the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan. Once again, all proceeds made from the companies exhibiting, are going to the I.N.T.O.'s Spouses and Orphans Appeal..

Letter to the Editor - Tipperary Star
May 2011
Unqualified "Teachers"
...Every child deserves to be taught every day by a trained, qualified, registered teacher. In the past, the teacher shortage created by the lack of planning by the DES resulted in the necessity for unqualified personnel being employed to supervise children in the absence of a qualified professional. This situation has changed utterly however... Deirdre Lanigan, Thurles INTO Branch Secretary

More than 330 retired teachers still working despite pledge to use graduates - Irish Examiner
24th May 2011
More than 330 retired teachers were still working in classes this month despite pressure to ensure schools give work to thousands of unemployed teachers..."We have consistendy urged schools to employ waged teachers where at all possible. What is needed is a structured system for substitution to maximise the employment of teachers without work," an INTO spokesman said...

Cut of 250 language support teachers - Irish Times
21st May 2011
Schools ARE set to lose 250 language support teachers under new cutbacks indicated by the Department of Education last night...The surprise move - endorsed by Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn - has already drawn a strong response; the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) described it as an "attack on disadvantaged and marginalised children"...

Further 125 school language support posts axed - Irish Examiner
21st May 2011
Another 125 teaching posts for newcomer children who need to learn English are to be axed from September...However, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) said the cutting of another 125 language support teachers is another attack on disadvantaged and marginalised children...

Nine O'Clock News - RTE One
20th May 2011
English Language Support Teachers
The Department of Education is to cut by 18% the number of English language support teachers in schools. The INTO has criticised the decision.

Campaign begins to save Donegal's small rural schools - Tirconaill Tribune
19th May 2011
As the battle lines are drawn to stop the closure of small rural schools, Donegal County Council is to debate the issue through an emergency motion at its meeting on next Monday week...The Irish National Teachers Organisation has not explicitly opposed the closure of small schools but they are urging moderation and caution with the review. The Organisation made a lengthy submission to the review body saying it had never been opposed to amalgamations as long as it was in agreement with the wishes of all interested parties including the local community. The union's submission says there are no educational reasons to close viable schools and international research has said small schools are invaluable to pupils, families, communities and societies...

The Morning Show - East Coast FM
17th May 2011
Mobile Phones at Schools
A report from Council of Europe has called for mobile phones and wifi to be banned in schools due to concerns of their impact on students' health. Peter Mullan (INTO) responds to the report's findings, and also discusses the hazards of having mobile phone masts near schools.

Cás na mbunscoileanna agus iarbhunscoileanna Gaeilge le plé go luath - Oideachas
13 Bealtaíne 2011
Reáchtálfaidh Eagraíochta ETO (ESG) a gComhdháil Oideachaís agus an Cruinniú Cinn Bhliana Dé hAoine seo chugainn, 20 Bealtaíne 2011, in Óstán an Conemara Coast sna Forbacha í gcontae na Gaillímhe....Reáchtálfar dhá sheisiún i rith an lae, agus tosóidh an chéad cheann ag 11.15am. Beidh ceardlann ann do bhunscoileanna agus ceann eile do na hiarbhunscoileanna. Is í Déirbhile Nic Craith ón INTO a bheidh ag tabhairt óráide uaithi ar dtús faoin teideal Cónascadh Scoileanna Beaga- Impleachtai fostaíochtí...

Margaret lands top INTO position - Limerick Post
14th May 2011
History was made when Margaret Bernard became the first woman to represent the teachers of Limerick and Kerry on the central executive committee of the Irish National Teachers Organisation In it's 143 year history. Margaret, assistant principal in St Paul's National School, Dooradoyle, succeeds Seamus Long. "The election of Margaret, mother of two grown up daughters, was the climax of a hard fought election campaign that saw her traverse the area, from Cappamore to Caherciveen and from Doon to An Daingean, as she visited teaching colleagues in both urban and rural schools," says Joe Lyons, INTO press officer for Limerick...

"We need our teachers here!" - Westmeath Topic
12th May 2011
We need our teachers here! was the call out this week from newly-appointed president of the INTO, Noreen Flynn. Noreen, who is originally from Kinnegad, but is now based in Dublin, was appointed INTO President at a special ceremony at the union's annual congress that was held in Sligo recently Her primary focus for the duration of her one-year term as President will be teachers, unemployment, she stressed to Topic this week. "My main focus will be on teacher unemployment. There will be 2,000 graduates coming out of university this year with a slim possibility of finding work," she commented. I really want to establish a system whereby they will be able to be placed Irish schools in order to complete their one year probation."...

EUR30m for school repairs as part of Jobs Initiative - Evening Echo
11th May 2011
Anne Fay, principal of St Joseph's National School in Fermoy and vice-president of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), welcomed the announcement from the minister of extra funding. "It is great for the schools and also for the local economy as people are getting work. I know anecdotally that a lot of principals were disappointed that they missed out on funding in March. Hopefully some of those schools will now be in line for funding," she said...

That's neat! Handwriting award for Kayla - Western People
10th May 2011
A Castlebar girl has been named as the Mayo winner of the 2011 National Handwriting Competition. Kayla Mannion, a student at St Angela's National School in Castlebar, is thrilled to have been selected as the best handwriter in the county, proving she really is top of her class! Now in its 19th year, the competition was open to all national schools throughout the country and this year focused more than ever on keeping the art of handwriting alive in schools. Organised by EBS Building Society, in partnership with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), the competition saw almost 1,000 schools from all over Ireland take part...

Dublin's Talking - Sunshine 106.8
10th May 2011
Need for regulation of school book publication discussed with reference to unnecessary expense burden on cash strapped parents - Interview: Noreen Flynn (INTO)

Midlands Today - Midlands Radio 103
10th May 2011
Presenter is joined by Noreen Flynn (President, INTO) to discuss school books and whether new additions of school books are necessary. Local woman gives her view.

Few changes in new editions of costly textbooks - Irish Independent
10th May 2011
Parents forced to fork out for new versions of school books have to work hard to spot the difference from the old ones. There is a growing clamour of protest from teacher unions and the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) over what they claim are unnecessary textbook revisions...Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) President Noreen Flynn said schools were simply told by publishers that a book would not be produced the following year and would be replaced by a new edition...

Keeper of the school gate - Irish Times
10th May 2011
...The patronage debate was essentially triggered by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation some years ago, and continued by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, who acknowledged that the church was over-represented in Irish education...

Kinnegad teacher Noreen Flynn is new head of INTO - Westmeath Examiner
7th May 2011
Westmeath’s small schools are at the "heart of their communities" and should remain so in the years to come .That's according to the Irish National Teachers' Organisation's new president, Kinnegad native Noreen Flynn. Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Ms Flynn, whose presidency was announced at the INTO's annual conference which took place in Sligo last week, said that while there may be an "opportunity" to amalgamate schools such as those with one teacher that are "no longer viable," every school has to be looked at individually...

Local primary teachers lament cuts at congress - Meath Chronicle
7th May 2011
...Fergal Fitzpatrick, the principal teacher in St Michael's National school in Trim and national chairman of the principals' and deputy principals' committee, outlined the challenges of leadership during difficult economic times as well as the need for a professional inspectorate, which can properly probate teachers who have entered the profession...

INTO has strong Limerick representation - Limerick Leader
7th May 2011
The new INTO Vice President is Anne Fay, Cappawhite, while Margaret Bernard, Adare, has made history as the first woman to represent the teachers of Limerick and Kerry on the central executive committee in the INTO's 143 year history. Ms Fay's grandfather and grandmother, Thomas and Mary Ryan "Miller" taught in the now closed Gurtavalla National School in Doon. Ms Fay is now the principal of St Joseph's in Fermoy where she has taught all her life...

Teachers told that Croke Park protections require cuts in contract posts - Industrial Relations News
5th May 2011
...However, the Minister did reaffirm to each conference the Government's commitment to the Croke Park Agreement. This was welcomed at the INTO gathering by general secretary Sheila Nunan, although she warned: "There is a real danger that the external threats to the agreement could become a self-fulfilling prophecy and that must be challenged."...Both Sheila Nunan and the ASTI's general secretary, Pat King, referred in speeches to their respective delegates to the fact that new entrants to teaching will be starting on the first point of the pay scale rather than the 3rd. This means that the 10% cut in pay for new entrants to the public service, which took effect from the start of this year, is effectively about a 14% pay cut for new entrants to the teaching profession....INTO deputy general secretary Noel Ward told the union's delegates that it was fairer that negotiated and necessary pension changes be shared across public service workers of every age, and not imposed entirely on new entrants. He pointed to the Hutton Report on pension reform in the UK, which proposed that UK pension changes, which would take effect from 2015 onwards, would affect the future service of all public servants - both new entrants and currently serving staff...

Top INTO for Fermoy principal - Corkman
5th May 2011
Congratulations to Ms Anne Fay, Teaching Principal at St Joseph's NS Fermoy, on her most recent appointment as Vice-President of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO). A native of Co Tipperary, Anne has been an active member of the INTO throughout her teaching career, being Secretary of the local branch in Fermoy, she has worked most of her teaching career in Fermoy commencing in Presentation Convent Primary School before taking up her post at St Joseph's NS. We wish her further success in her new role and that she will enjoy a fulfilling role while in office.

Pension cut ‘robs teachers’ – Irish Daily Mail
3rd May 2011
…Noel Ward, Deputy General Secretary of INTO, said recruits would pay in more than they ever take out under the ‘mean, opportunistic and ageist’ plan... Mr. Ward said serving teachers should show ‘inter-generational solidarity’ with recruits. ‘This is a recipe for income poverty in retirement for public servants years ahead – but it is the stand that must be taken to block these changes,’ That poses a challenge to the trade union movement, a challenge that may be seen as one of protectionism as against principle, of looking after today’s members as against looking after conditions of work long-term’. Mr. Ward said the regime was not necessary and claimed teachers’ pensions are ‘sustainable.’ ‘The pension changes for new teachers are a political choice, not an economic necessity,’ he added. ‘The proposed change is not even part of the outrageous imposition of banking losses on taxpayers; it is instead a gratuitous and selective move to worsen the conditions of future teachers.’…

Clare teachers refuse to be sabotaged - Clare People
3rd May 2011
..."We are living in the economic aftermath of national economic sabotage generated by rampant capitalism," Sean McMahon told The Clare People in a hard-hitting statement in which he declared that the county's primary school teachers are refusing to bear the brunt of Ireland's economic meltdown. "There is no room to reduce teachers pay any further," he blasted. "If government recommence an attack on public servants and teachers for further wage cuts then I firmly believe we must as a union cast off the Croke Park and all agreements and immediately ballot all members for a sustained campaign of industrial action including the ultimate right of every worker the withdrawal of their labour."...

EBS Building society - Waterford News and Star
3rd May 2011
EBS Building Society, in partnership with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation INTO celebrated with the Waterford winners of the 2011 National Handwriting Competition...

Inside Education - 103.2 Dublin City FM
2nd May 2011
An Irish perspective on news and stories from the world of education focusing on the teacher conferences