TEACHER'S PET:Mary Hanafin had a rough time at the teacher conferences last week. And, she was visibly angry when one reporter quizzed her about the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his continuing troubles at the tribunal. I will only take questions on education issues, she snapped. I have enough on my plate with education.
But is it now time for Mary Hanafin to address the Bertie issue? The Minister did express some mild unease about the whole sorry mess on Sam Smyth's Sunday Supplement on Today FM, but last week she closed down the discussion.
With the timetable for Bertie's departure shortening by the day, there could be considerable political kudos for the first Cabinet minister who, at the very least, acknowledges the huge levels of public unease.
Hanafin is a squeaky clean, very honourable politician who is respected by the public. In the 1980s, her father Des Hanafin was one of the first to speak out against Charles Haughey. Will Mary Hanafin speak up on Bertie?
INTO masterclass
Instead of moaning about the high media profile of the INTO, why don't the ASTI and the TUI learn some lessons from its masterful media operation? The INTO, more than any other education lobby group in the country, understands the soundbite culture, and last week's conference rolled out some memorable, headline-grabbing quotes.
We loved that one about Des Bishop doing more for the Irish language than the Minister. And John Carr's speech in which he said the Minister flattered to deceive like Irish rugby's golden generation was topical and sharp. Other unions please copy!
Busy hacks
We all know that the hacks like to chase a story but the sight of one male reporter pursuing INTO president Angela Dunne into the ladies at Hotel Kilkenny last week had the place in stitches. As the tabloids would say, the embarrassed hack made his excuses and left.
All quiet
The ASTI conference last week was a low profile affair, with none of the sound and fury of yesteryear. There was great disappointment among the hacks that the colourful Bernard Lynch failed to make it as vice-president. Lynch's manifesto had him poised to take on those teacher-bashers in the media. But Joe Moran's victory will deny him the opportunity.
