“A senior government minister-in-waiting and two of his Fine Gael colleagues this week welcomed a ‘breakthrough for Third Level education in the South East’ following the inclusion in the Coalition’s Programme for Government of a commitment to ‘explore the establishment of a multi-campus University in the South East’ …” (more)
[John O’ Connor, Munster Express, 11 March]
“The new Government has already confirmed that it is committed to exploring the establishment of a multi-campus University in the South East, Fine Gael TD, John Paul Phelan, has confirmed …” (more)
[Kilkenny Advertiser, 11 March]
“Irish language group Conradh na Gaeilge has welcomed the ‘sidelining’ of Fine Gael’s proposal to drop the Irish language as a core subject in the Leaving Certificate. The newly published Programme for Government states that the incoming government will ‘take steps to improve the quality and effectiveness of the teaching of Irish at second level’ and that when these steps have been implemented, the question of whether Irish should be optional at Leaving Certificate will then be considered …” (more)
[Lorraine O’Hanlon, Galway Independent, 9 March]
“Neither @9th_level_irl or #rte highlight technical university for south east item in #pfg11 education roundup. Am I missing subtext again?” (tweet)
[Norman Wyse, Twitter, 7 March]
“This is an interesting snippet from the new Fine Gael – Labour Programme for Government on their policy on ’21st Century Schools’. What are your opinions on their plans? ‘The Government will end the treatment of ICT in education as a stand alone issue, but will integrate it across education policy …’” (more)
[More Stress, Less Success, 7 March]
“#pfg11 freebie for review of HE funding – just cog http://t.co/Vmqw5Z1. My students will do it for you … inc contingent loan is your answer” (tweet)
[Colm Harmon, Twitter, 7 March]
“… The section (or paragraph) on third-level education is just surreal and I am going to hold off on blogging anything about it until I can find publishable words. Basically, third level is about to complete its full transition to something politicians mess with for purely symbolic ends. Something has to give here as we cannot keep going on with this nonsense …” (more)
[Liam Delaney, Geary Behavioural Economics Blog, 6 March]
“… This lack of engagement with higher education is the more disappointing as the provisions in the programme on primary and secondary education are much better and show a greater understanding of what issues need to be addressed …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 7 March]
“University lecturers have defended their continued opposition to the Croke Park agreement after reports that the Department of Education is to impose pay cuts on more than 2,000 members unless they back the deal …” (more)
[Sean Flynn, Irish Times, 7 March]
“Students will be hit with registration charges of €2,000 from September, but plans to saddle them with debt worth one-third of the cost of their courses have been shelved …” (more)
[John Walshe, Independent, 7 March]
“‘We will review the recommendations of the Hunt Report on higher education. A reform of third level will be driven by the need to improve learning outcomes of undergraduate degree students, as well as providing high quality standards …'” (more)
[DarkRepository, 6 March]
“The programme for government has backed away from controversial Fine Gael policies on the Irish language and third-level fees – but it is promising a review of both the Leaving and Junior Cert exams …” (more)
[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 7 March]
“The Government is to establish a major jobs fund within its first 100 days in office, which it promises will deliver thousands of new training and work placement opportunities. The recent cut in the minimum wage will also be reversed which will see the present hourly rate of €7.65 rise again to €8.65 per hour …” (more)
[Seán McCárthaigh, Irish Examiner, 7 March]
“Fine Gael and Labour are set to form a government for national recovery under the terms of a programme being submitted to a special conference of the Labour Party this afternoon at University College Dublin …” (more)
[Deaglán de Bréadún, Irish Times, 6 March]
Ninth Level Ireland 