“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government is examining the issue of student nurses working in hospitals during the Covid-19 emergency and not getting paid. He said the Minister Health Simon Harris would have proposals on the issue shortly …” (more)
[Aisling Kenny, RTÉ News, 25 March]
“Schools and universities will not reopen until after the Easter holidays, the Government has said. The Government confirmed that all guidelines on closures will be extended, with the hope that schools will reopen in May or June …” (more)
[Aoife Moore, Irish Examiner, 25 March]
“Colleges are to remain closed until at least April 19th, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said, among a number of new lockdown measures implemented as Ireland battles to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 24 March]
“Taoiseach Leo Vardakar said the government will do ‘everything possible’ so that the Leaving Certificate and college exams will go ahead. It comes as Education Minister Joe McHugh confirmed on Tuesday that although schools are closed up to March 29, they will not be opening immediately after that …” (more)
[Aine McMahon, Belfast Telegraph, 24 March]
“All schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings may end up shutting well beyond March 29th to support efforts to contain the coronavirus threat. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced on Thursday morning that the Government and health authorities decided that a two-week closure was needed in order to delay the spread of the virus …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 12 March]
“The decision to shut every school, college and childcare facility in the country, as well as cultural institutions, was done without Cabinet approval, it can be revealed. The Irish Examiner has confirmed that the decision to execute the shut down was not subject to Cabinet approval before it was announced this morning, but that some ministers were contacted to be told of the decision …” (more)
[Daniel McConnell, BreakingNews.ie, 12 March]
“An announcement was made this morning by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD of the closure of schools, pre-schools and further and higher education settings, for a period until 29 March 2020, to support efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19. This will take effect from 6pm this evening, Thursday 12 March. This is in line with the advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team …” (more)
[Department of Education and Skills, 12 March]
“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the country’s schools, colleges and childcare facilities are to close in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. From 6pm today, schools, colleges and childcare facilities will close. In relation to cultural institutions, indoor gatherings of more than 100 people will not be permitted and a maximum outdoor gathering of 500 people will be allowed. The restrictions will stay in place until 29 March …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 12 March]
“If we’re to believe the pundits, this election more than most others in Irish politics is a battle of the big two – Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The conclusion of the parties’ confidence-and-supply deal signalled the end of the uneasy truce that bound them together for three years, and potshots have started flying in both directions as the parties seek to differentiate themselves and pitch to voters …” (more)
[Faye Curran, University Times, 16 January]
“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced this morning that a general election, long-awaited, will be held on Saturday, February 8th. A Saturday voting day is almost unprecedented, but Varadkar explained that it will make voting easier for parents, those working away from home and, most interestingly, students …” (more)
[Aoife Kearins, University Times, 14 January]
“The Taoiseach has said he expects public sector pay to rise higher than the rate of inflation. Leo Varadkar said he anticipates pay increases in the public sector in 2020 but they must be linked to reform. The Government has adopted a series of ‘one-size-fits-all’ deals with public service unions covering pay, conditions and reforms across the entire public sector over the past decade …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 29 December]
“An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD today (Thursday 7th November) joined Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD, Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, and Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development John Halligan TD. to launch the €300 million Human Capital Initiative and the Skills and Talent pillar of Future Jobs Ireland …” (more)
[Department of Education and Skills, 7 November]
“The school’s design suggests the primary motivation was creating new revenue streams, not giving undergraduates a place to learn. In 2013, planning permission was placed for the new six-story Trinity Business Building. On the May 23, 2019, it was proudly opened by An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. This was a momentous occasion …” (more)
[Celine Delahoy, Trinity News, 20 October]
“The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has defended his government’s record on investment in third-level institutions in response to a question about Trinity’s fall in global rankings. The Taoiseach made his comments yesterday whilst on a visit to the United Nations in New York. When asked about Trinity’s falling position in the rankings, he claimed there has been a ‘substantial injection of cash into our universities’ …” (more)
[Shannon Connolly, Trinity News, 27 September]
“WIT lecturer Dr Ray Griffin talks to Julie Smyth about the upcoming budget, what Paschal Donoghue can do to boost the South East’s economy and why, as an academic working in the region he is frustrated with the Taoiseach’s reported ‘frustration’ regarding the formation of a Technological University for the South East …” (interview)
[Spreaker, 15 September]
“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has spoken of his frustration with the protracted progress of the Waterford IT/IT Carlow submission to create a Technological University of the South East (TUSE) …” (more)
[Dermot Keyes, Waterford News and Star, 12 September]
“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he is very frustrated at the lack of progress in the establishment of a Technological University in Waterford. The application for the TU South East from WIT and IT Carlow has still not been submitted after a memorandum of understanding between both IT’s was rejected by the unions in Carlow …” (more)
[Sinead Aherne, WLR FM, 9 September]
“Minister for Education Joe McHugh has pledged not to raise college fees past €3,000 for the next five years if his party is returned to government in the next general election. In a move that echoes the recent promise by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar not to increase Ireland’s fees …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 11 August]
“Developers are increasingly pursuing student accommodation or co-living developments at the expense of family homes, experts have warned. Schemes that targeted first-time buyers are slowing amid tight restrictions on mortgage lending but are increasing rapidly when it comes to apartment builds …” (more)
[Gareth Morgan, Independent, 9 August]
“The Taoiseach says he’s confident the Technological University for the South East can be achieved within the next year. The application from WIT and IT Carlow still has not been submitted. It hit another delay last month when a memorandum of understanding agreed between management at both IT’s and the Teachers Union of Ireland was rejected by union members in Carlow …” (more)
[Sinead Aherne, WLR FM, 18 July]
