What is the most difficult job in the world? Well, the post of industrial relations officer at the ASTI must take some beating. The prestige post was advertised extensively recently but, apparently, failed to draw appropriate candidates.
To sort out the mess, the ASTI standing committee has agreed to significantly increase the salary for the post, which is good news for the lucky candidate - and for some other administrative grades.
Needless to say, some ordinary ASTI folk are complaining about how their subs are being used to make life comfortable for head-office staff. Expect this one to run.
TP has written before about Paul Kelly, the new assistant secretary in the Department of Education. These days, TP can hardly lift the phone without hearing some reference to how Mr Kelly is taking over the education world. The teaching unions are still recovering from the roasting that Kelly gave them over the £27 per hour supervision deal recently.
Kelly is of the new breed of confident, tell-it-as-it-is senior civil servants.
Already, the question is this: Will he be the next secretary general of the Department? Or is he passing through en route to higher office elsewhere?
At this time of year parents all over the State are filling in application forms for entry to secondary schools next September. Most schools ask the usual stuff about the child's previous schooling, contact numbers for parents etc.
But why do so many still insist on asking about the parents' occupations? Do schools really need to know that Johnny's dad is a fireman or Mary's mother is a hot-shot accountant? This ghastly practice - a remnant from other days - must end.
Education does not throw up many decent jobs for education lifers. But one plum is on the horizon - director of the new Teaching Council. This will regulate the profession a lβ the Medical Council.
A senior civil servant will run the show initially, but after that the chase is on for a high-profile figure to take on the post. But does anyone really believe that a £70,000 salary will be enough to attract the likes of Charlie Lennon or Joe O'Toole?
Scary visit to fortress Belfield: A phone call from the Office of Public Affairs confirms that the admin building has the all-clear. Next, a check of the UCD website which features, prominently, a protocol for dealing with suspicious packages. Then the taxi driver, as always the expert on all things, on all things, including anthrax: "Ah, luv, surely you're not going to UCD?"
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