Ninth Level Ireland

“… I am tired of hearing generalizations like this in public from journalists and politicians. What precisely did the Minister mean by ‘productivity’? Number of Noble prizes? Number of students passed? Some business or Soviet-type quota? How is it measured? Not a scintilla of evidence was offered for the Minister’s contention, just a casually delivered public insult to my colleagues and I …” (more)

[Cormac O’Rafferty, Antimatter, 5 May]

“Education Minster Ruairí Quinn has said he believes he has been caricatured as an enemy of the Catholic Church …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 5 May]

“Chinese is to be offered as a Leaving Certificate exam subject, according to Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn. He announced his plans in Portlaoise, Co Laois, yesterday, at the official announcement of a transition-year course on Chinese language and culture …” (more)

[Eoghan Mac Connell, Irish Times, 4 May]

“The training of teachers in 22 different colleges is wasteful in a country this size, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said. He told TDs and senators there are too many courses doing the same thing, particularly when compared to other countries …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 3 May]

“New powers to sanction bad teachers and stop some from working again are to come into effect under plans by Ruairi Quinn, the education minister. In a long-awaited move, the Teaching Council will be allowed establish fitness-to-teach inquiries …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 3 May]

“Deputy Paul J Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Galway/Mayo Institute of Technology is increasing fees by 73%, which is particularly difficult for part time students part way through their course; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 1 May]

“Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of waiving all fees associated with higher and third level education for the long term unemployed …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 1 May]

“Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person who is under financial difficulties and is being assisted by the Money Advice and Budgetary Agency can be refused a higher education grant for their children to continue in third level education …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 1 May]

“Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he justifies the abolition of postgraduate grants and the way he justifies raising fees to €3000 …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 1 May]

“The chairman of the Higher Education Authority, John Hennessy, is continuing to make a strong impression. Hennessy, the former head of Ericsson in Ireland, has gained something of a reputation for straight talking. Last week, he pitched in again, warning about restrictive public-sector work practices that bedevil higher education …” (more)

[Irish Times, 1 May]

“Following on from a series of postings about the mileage expense claims of Ruairi Quinn (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3), the blogger Anthony Sheridan [Disclosure: Anthony is the uncle of Gavin, the other half of thestory.ie] made a complaint to the Standards in Public Office Commission seeking an investigation …” (more)

[Ken Foxe, The Story, 30 April]

“The absence of an Irish university in the Times Higher Education world reputation rankings is not a cause for concern, the Education Minister has indicated …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 28 April]

“Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he intends to address the recent Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings which failed to feature an Irish university; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 26 April]

“The High Court has ruled that a decision by the minister for education Ruairi Quinn to declare a school principal unfit for office was disproportionate and ‘required the court to intervene’ …” (more)

[John Burke, Business Post, 26 April]

“Three third-level students have lost their High Court challenge to an ‘unfair and unjust’ decision by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn to cut their maintenance grants …” (more)

[Irish Times, 26 April]

“The Union of Students in Ireland has expressed disappointment at the outcome of a High Court challenge taken by three students, two of whom attend Galway colleges, against the Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn …” (more)

[Roisin Peddle, Galway Advertiser, 26 April]

“Today (April 25th) at 11am in the High Court, Mr Justice Hedigan delivered his verdict on a challenge taken by three students, supported by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), against the Minister for Education & Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD …” (more)

[Union of Students in Ireland, 25 April]

“Deputy Willie O’Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Higher Education Authority has published guidelines for the establishment of higher education institutional clusters at a regional level to support enterprise development and employment needs; if not, when it will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 24 April]

“Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the income limits he has set under the new scholarship scheme for post graduate education that he announced recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 24 April]

“Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has ordered a review of teacher education amid concerns about the duplication of courses and the content of teacher-training programmes …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 24 April]