Teachers Pet: Mary Hanafin and Mary Harney grabbed the headlines when that new package on medical education was rolled out last week.

But one other person deserves credit - former education minister, Noel Dempsey.

He was the first to push for a radical shake-up in medical training.

Dempsey is now revelling in his role in Communications. But here's a strange thing; many of his detractors during his time in education keep saying how much they miss him. One influential teaching union figure even suggested (privately) last week that Hanafin was too consensual and too cautious for his liking.

To the back of the class at once!

Are some of our leading universities falling out of love with the National University of Ireland (NUI)?

UCD and UCC are said to be less than zealous in their support of the organisation which is gearing up - if that is the right word - for its centenary in 2008.

Some folk in UCD wonder why the university is spending more than €100,000 to build its own brand as Ireland's education capital - while still operating under the NUI umbrella.

Meanwhile, NUI chancellor Garret FitzGerald is said to be examining the future role of the body.

One of his key tasks? Answering a question often posed by some irreverent folk in UCC and UCD - what does the NUI actually do these days?

Is there some frisson in the air between Mary Hanafin and Seán Cottrell, the Corkonian who heads the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN)? Last year, Hanafin was none too pleased when Cottrell - in quite a bizarre move - asked delegates to rate the contributions of speakers he had invited to the IPPN annual conference- including the Minister.

Hanafin struck back at this year's conference last Friday. Faced with a choice between dinner beside Cottrell and a panto in Shankill featuring Prince Charming and others, she told delegates she had opted for the panto. Ouch!

That Asti decision to ballot members on a return to the ICTU fold attracted scant media attention.

All quite a contrast from three years ago when Asti dominated the front pages.

Meanwhile,the new Asti deputy general secretary, ex-RTE producer Diarmuid de Paor has finally got his feet under the table up at Winetavern Street. Expect him to make a real impact.

Got any education gossip? E-mail us, in confidence, at teacherspet@irish-times.ie