TEACHERS PET:Is Peter Sutherland already out of the running for that big job as chair of the national strategy on higher education?
Sutherland is one of the names on the list which is on the desk of Department of Education secretary general Brigid McManus.
Most sensible people acknowledge that Sutherland is, by some distance, the outstanding candidate for the post. "Suds'' as he is widely known, is the preferred choice of both the Irish Universities Association, representing the seven university presidents and the Higher Education Authority. Naturally, neither group can say this publicly, but their enthusiam has been made known.
Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe, who is known for his independent streak, appears to have no problems with Sutherland, despite his Fine Gael links. But the word is that other figures in Fianna Fáil are exerting their influence.
• Lovely exchange between Batt and Fine Gael's Brian Hayes at the Dáil Education Committee. Hayes suggested the Minister was fortunate to be close to the Court of Brian Cowen because of the personal friendship between the two men. You are, he told the Minister, the Marc Antony of the Government.
Quick as a flash Batt responded: "I hope there is no Brutus out there!''
Labour's Ruairí Quinn, was a hugely impressive chair of the committee when he sat in for Paul Gogarty last week. Quinn would brook none of the customary nonsense and grandstanding from some members. Result? One of the most coherent committee meetings in recent memory.
• Interesting to see travel mogul Michael Stein moving into education. Stein's new business www.steinabroad.ie promises "the best schools and the best families'' for courses in French, German, Spanish and Italian. Among others, the new business targets fourth- and fifth-year secondary school students.
Any initative which could boost language skills is welcome - even a commercial one like this. But isn't it past time we widened the range of languages on offer in schools? Only 3,000 students took Spanish in thre Leaving Cert last year despite the ever closer links between Ireland and Spain.
