An insider's guide to education:The respected general secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), Daltun O'Ceallaigh, is to leave his post shortly after 26 years at the helm.
IFUT, which represents about 60 per cent of university academics, has kept a remarkably low profile in recent years - despite the huge turbulence in the university sector. It has had relatively little to say - in public at least - about such issues as the "reform" process in our universities and the intense competition between them.
In recent years, there has been signs of unrest among some academic staff about IFUT. This reached a crescendo when some college lecturers emerged with a measly 3 per cent increase from the benchmarking process. To rub salt in the wounds, lecturing staff in the institutes of technology secured about 11 per cent.
University lecturers will be hoping for better after IFUT's recent presentation to the benchmarking body. In the interim, an ambitious trade unionists could do worse than apply for O'Ceallaigh's job. There is huge potential for IFUT to play a central role in the public debate on the future of our universities.
That decision by the Department of Education to appeal the recent ruling by the Equality Tribunal seems very harsh.
The tribunal said two former Leaving Certificate students with dyslexia had been discriminated against because annotations were added to their results certificates. The department was ordered to pay each €6,000.
In an e-mail to this column one parent writes: "I have a daughter who has dyslexia and for whom the exposure to her friends on receipt of her Leaving Certificate was very stressful since the condition was known only to her teacher. . . if a person has a disability which is not obvious they have right to keep that condition confidential, if that is their choice. Unfortunately, many employers, when faced with a person with a disability, will avoid offering a job. That's the reality. The Department facilitates that further discrimination."
In the Dáil last week Mary Hanafin was the voice of moderation itself on the general issue of disability but would brook no compromise in relation to the specific case. Here's a prediction - this controversy will run and run.
Who will succeed Gerry Wrixon (below) at UCC? The current frontrunner is Michael Murphy, dean of the faculty of medicine there - someone who has managed to keep a safe distance from the rival camps in the college. Tom McCarty of the IMI is another strong contender. But could the appointment yet go to someone outside the State? Ah, probably not!
Got any education gossip? E-mail us at teacherspet@irish-times.ie
