An insider's guide to education

• The OECD report on the third-level sector is set to place a greater emphasis on the need for new forms of funding (i.e. private funding) if the reception given to the Society of St Vincent de Paul is any guide.

During a recent meeting with the OECD team in Dublin, the society expressed its concern about educational disadvantage and inequality. But the inquiry team apparently had little truck with this stuff. It was more preoccupied with the key issue - who is going to pay for everything?

For some observers, it confirmed the view that the OECD report will herald a push towards privatisation in the third-level sector. The report is also expected to propose the return of school fees and/or a graduate tax for those who can afford to pay it. First drafts should be available before the summer. But the final report won't be published until September.

• Bad news for those expecting free booze at the TUI conference in the Corrib Great Southern in Galway next week. A motion to the conference calls for an end the practice of allowing a "free bar" for Department of Education officials and other guests. In its place, the motion suggests there should be a sherry reception.

It is all a reminder that the TUI, despite its radical fringe, is actually the most PC right-on union. Last year, there was consternation when an after-dinner speaker relayed a risque joke. Don't expect any such jokes this year.

• The business about whether Noel Dempsey is going to attend various teacher conference has become more than a little tiresome. The on-off saga about his attendance at the TUI conference was resolved with a new agreement on Friday.

But it was hardly an amicable agreement. Relations between both sides have been more than a little strained by the whole episode.

• ASTI president, Pat Cahill - now in the closing stage of his one-year term - would dearly like Noel Dempsey to attend next week's conference. But other senior figures in the union are said to be less keen.

There is some speculation that the ASTI could even extend an invite to Martin McGuinness just to spike Dempsey's guns, as it were. But would McGuinness allow himself to be used in such a way?

• What is the least popular subject among second-level school kids? According to a recent ESRI report, Irish is the least liked subject, followed by maths, history, languages, business studies, geography, English and science.

• How many teachers were dismissed from their posts in the last five years? Don't ask the Department of Education; it says "this information is not available".

• The Your Education System (YES) meetings ended last week in Tallaght, Dublin.

In all, some 5,000 attended the meetings, a much better than anticipated turnout. The question now is whether the exercise achieved anything.

We will see when the vision document based on the meetings is published next year. Meanwhile, congrats to ASTI vice-president Susie Hall who attended all 17 meetings.

• E-mail us, in confidence, at teacherspet@irish-times.ie