An insider's guide to education
- John Dennehy, the canny Kerry-born secretary general of the Department of Education, is showing a remarkable capacity for getting things done. Despite all sorts of dire warnings about potential industrial relations difficulties, Dennehy has just pushed through the biggest personnel shake-up in the Department in years. Virtually all the senior staff are moving to new posts as Dennehy and Dempsey work together to throw off Marlborough Street's crusty image. The following is how the senior figures - assistant secretaries - in the Department have emerged from the shake-out... Paul Kelly moves to third-level, Paddy McDonagh to social inclusion and student supports, Martin Hanevy to finance, Pat Burke to personnel and Peter Baldwin to teachers' salaries. The changes will take effect from February 17th. The moves still leave the assistant secretaries with a huge volume of work. Most of them have up to four separate areas of responsibility. Hanevy, for example, has finance, planning and building and external industrial relations (i.e. dealing with ASTI and the like!). Enough there to keep anyone busy. Surely something should be done to lighten their load. The creation of new posts is a priority. But what chance Finance ever agreeing to this? You're right. No chance.
- Bad news for Enda Curran, the editor-in-chief of UCD's University Observer, who has been sacked following publication of an article on attitudes to immigrants in a recent edition. The students' union said in a statement: "As a consequence of this review and given the gravity of the incident it has been decided to terminate the service of Mr Curran with immediate effect". It stresses that the decision in no way reflects on his character and thanks him for his hard work.
- Which leading ASTI figure was furious after reading last week's column? This pointed out - gently - how benchmarking failed to deliver the threatened performance-related pay and other bad things, as predicted. Meanwhile, the ASTI's 180-member (!!) central executive will decide shortly whether benchmarking will go to a ballot of members. But why not just put the benchmarking issue out to a vote of members now. What other union would not just let members decide on a proposed 13 per cent pay increase?
- All credit - as Roy Keane would say - to Olwyn Enright, Fine Gael's feisty education spokesperson. We hear Olwyn made a big impression at the Dáil education committee meeting last week when she lambasted top Department officials on the alleged sweetheart deal between the Government and the Catholic congregations on sexual abuse.
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