Schoomarm Mary expels Hayes from briefing

SHE’S often accused of being something of a schoolmarm, but Mary Hanafin was branded as childish by her opposite number in Fine Gael yesterday.

While class sizes dominated the question-and-answer session that followed, it was clear Brian Hayes was one pupil too many for the Education Minister to handle at her budget press briefing.

The opposition party’s education spokesperson had come along, he said, to hear Ms Hanafin’s response to questions from journalists on her spending outlay for the next year.