Teacher conferences - Hanafin vow is cheque book politics

EDUCATION Minister Mary Hanafin’s promise to double the level of State funding for every primary school child in the country — provided, of course, Fianna Fáil return to government after the General Election — smacks of blatant electioneering.

This is yet another cynical example of cheque book politics at its rawest. Yet, it’s not altogether surprising since all the political parties are frantically playing the auction game as the battle for the hearts and minds of voters intensifies on the eve of next month’s election, expected to be called shortly by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

While thousands of new teaching staff had been put in place since 2002, the minister concedes the Government’s spending on education wasn’t enough as schools struggle to cope with costs.