Learning a lesson on education spending

LAST week, “ideology” was bandied about like a term of abuse. Two ongoing stories on education were peppered with references to ideology as if it was something that the cat dragged in. In education, it would seem, the only ideology that should be applied is “what we have we hold.”

In the wake of a report on the fee income of fee paying schools, the spectre was raised once more of cutting the near €100m subsidy that is paid to these 55 institutions. Reaction among those who defend the subsidy was uniform. Any change would cost the State more, and it was based on the ideology prevalent in the Labour party, to the detriment of economics and fairness.

Commentators, Fine Gael TDs, and school principals all stormed the media to denounce any move as if it was something that might have been dreamed up by the late Hugo Chavez.