No funding from a mean-spirited minister
The Yes roadshow highlighted how underfunded the sector is at a time when special needs and disability pupils are being deprived of their right to an education.
The only people not to get the message on the need for investment are Education Minister Noel Dempsey and his colleagues who praise low taxation policies.
The minister has delayed paying increases to secondary teachers and threatened not to attend their union’s agm unless he could dictate the format.
This mean-spirited approach was summed up when Mr Dempsey told me he was the minister for education, not the minister for teachers.
The conclusion must be that there is no-one in government representing teachers. Do other ministers share this novel view of their briefs?
ASTI members have no objection to correcting state exams as long as it is voluntary, properly paid and objectively removed from their own pupils.
Mr Dempsey is set for a confrontation on this principle in the next pay deal.
ASTI has about 17,000 members. They have spouses, children and friends who vote. If Mr Dempsey is not the minister for teachers he cannot expect the government parties to receive teachers’ votes.
A lot done, a lot more to undo.
Fergal Canton
Cuffesgrange
Co Kilkenny
