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 Batt O'Keeffe The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD, has told all primary and post-primary schools to close on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week due to the bad weather.
Minister O’Keeffe took the decision in the interest of the welfare of school children.
The Minister took the decision following a meeting today of the Government’s Emergency Planning Group and in the context of the poor weather outlook for the coming days.
Minister O’Keeffe stated:
“I took the decision to close all schools based on my concern for the health and safety of school children in these very challenging weather conditions. I considered, in particular, the forecast for snowfall on Sunday and Monday which will cause further disruption. Although most schools decided not to open this week and many more will take the same decision next week, I wanted to bring clarity and certainty to the position for parents and students by telling all schools to close. While it may be that some schools would have been in a position to open depending on the weather, I consider on balance that the responsible and prudent approach at this stage is to close schools in the interest of safety. I will be further reviewing the situation on Tuesday. I am taking this decision in particularly exceptional circumstances and against a backdrop of extremely bad weather conditions.”
Minister O’Keeffe stressed that the decision will not affect the local decision-making powers of school boards of management.
He further stated his Department officials will be discussing with the education partners ways in which the impact of the closures can be minimised, particularly for examination classes.
Note: Higher education institutions will make their own decisions on whether to open based on local roads and prevailing weather conditions.
 Snow Day Because of the unprecedented weather conditions in county Tipperary, the majority of schools, scheduled to open tomorrow, will remain closed. Schools remaining closed are:-
Upperchurch National School. Rossmore National School, Clonoulty. Ursuline Secondary school, Thurles. Scoil Angela, Thurles. St Cronin’s Services in Nenagh, Roscrea and Birr. Scoil Aongusa and Scoil Cormac in Cashel.
St. Marys Junior School in Nenagh. St Josephs College, Borrisoleigh. St Josephs Primary School in Ballingarry. Thurles CBS. Presentation Primary and Secondary schools in Thurles. Gortnahoe National school.
Lissenhall NS Nenagh. Naoinra Aon Do Tri ( CBS Nenagh). Slieveardagh N S. The Commons NS. Silvermines N S. Ballagh NS, Clonoulty. Littleton NS. Clonmore NS, Templemore. Drom NS.
Ballinure NS, Killenaule. Lios na mBroc in Coalbrook. Presentation Secondary Ballingarry. Two mile Borris National school. St Marys NS, Killenaule. Barnane NS. Glengoole NS. Scoil Bhride, Fantane.
Our Ladys Secondary School Templemore. Sacred Heart Primary, Roscrea. Gortagarry NS, Toomevara. CBS Carrick on Suir. Kilruane NS. Comeragh College. Scoil Mhuire, Greenhills.
St Ailbe’s Secondary school, Tipp town. Scoil Mhuire, Lismackin, Roscrea. St Marys NS in Clogheen. Ragg NS. Leugh NS. Holy Family NS, Templetuohy.
Schools Likely To Open Tomorrow
Holycross NS. St Jospehs School, Templemore. CBS Primary and Secondary Schools in Nenagh. Cashel Community School. Two Primary Schools in Cahir. Ballylooby NS. Scoil Mhuire in Borriskane.
Note date of this post and please check update by clicking here:
 Tipperary Institute Three pieces of good news with regard to education in County Tipperary were announced to-day.
(1) The Education Minister Mr Batt O’Keeffe, has stated he will now not be following the recommendation of the McCarthy Report, which called for the clousure of the Tipperary Institute campuses here at Thurles and Clonmel. This follows an all party, all county campaign to retain the third level Institute .
However it is not as yet known the future plans which brought about his decision.
(2) The Architectural and Design teams are having final consultations with the Department of Education today, where it is expected at last, they will sign off on the tender documents for works at Borrisokane Community College.
(3) Agreement to proceed to tender and construction for an extensive overhaul of Nenagh Vocational School has been also been given the nod. Work to be undertaken will include a new roof, eight new classrooms, science and music rooms together with a new gym.
All in all a good day for education and hopefully future employment in Tipperary.
 Batt O'Keeffe's Letter to Deputy Lowry Backbencher Ms Maire Hoctor TD, who was sacked as a Junior Minister by Taoiseach Brian Cowen last year, was not present for a number of tight votes in Dail Eireann recently.
Truth is that in the past three weeks Ms Hoctor has only voted possibly twice out of 18 votes which were signalled. This includes one vote last week that saw the Government scrape through by a meagre two votes.
The Tipperary North TD is a constituency colleague of Independent TD Michael Lowry, who claims to have his own private deal with the Fianna Fail Government. This deal, which has seen Mr Lowry claim credit for a series of capital projects in Ms Hoctor’s constituency, is said to be quietly causing serious tension in the Fianna Fail camp. Political whispers claim Ms Hoctor is growing increasingly unset with the way in which Mr Lowry was being allowed to wheel and deal with the Boss, her party leader, Brian Cowen.
A spokesman for the Government Chief Whip Pat Carey last night said he was aware Ms Hoctor did not vote on a number of recent issues. So was Ms Hoctor given a pairing by the whips office so that she could miss the string of votes? We can’t confirm, but ahead of tomorrow’s important Budget vote, Mr Carey has implemented a three-line whip which requires the presence of all Fianna Fail TDs.
According to the local scholarly political pundits “Presently, every pothole patched in the constituency of North Tipperary, credit is claimed by Michael Lowry. Anything of a positive nature that is implemented or promised, he’s claiming it’s part of this special deal with Brian Cowan”.
While the Government is still expected to win the majority of the votes tomorrow, thus avoiding an immediate General Election, the result would be very tight without the presence of Ms Hoctor.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch in North Tipperary yesterday, Deputy Michael Lowry has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Batt O’Keefe TD that Scoil Nasuinta Cronain Naofa at Dromakeenan, just outside Roscrea in Ms Hoctor’s neck of the coral, has got the go ahead for their long awaited building project. The scale of works approved is for a three classroom extension, a new GP room, along with refurbishment and associated works on the older parts of the school.
In the coming days the Building unit of the Department of Education will contact the school to allow them to issue the ‘Letter of Acceptance’ that will enable them to award the building contract to the winning building tender. It is hoped that works will be completed over the summer holidays at the end of the current school year.
Deputy Lowry stated:
“I am delighted that building will finally commence for this project, as they have been waiting for the go-ahead since 2007. The school has proven itself to be very progressive in recent years, and has set up an autism unit that serve the people of Roscrea and its surrounds. I have been working with the school and with other public representatives to get a favourable outcome on this case and the Ministerial order (See Above) that has been issued today comes on foot of a concerted lobbying campaign dating back two years since the contractor had been selected in 2007.”
 Tipperary Institute Thurles The Tipperary Institute will definitely close if a long term viable future is not immediately secured.
North Tipperary Independent Deputy Michael Lowry, says the college must now have a workable plan for the future before the Minister for Education, Mr Batt O’Keeffe will lift the threat of closure.
“An Bord Snip Nua”, charged with finding billions in savings, across all Government departments and the public sector, has recommended that the Tipperary Institute should be abolished as part of proposed rationalisation measures and the campus be disposed of for the benefit of the Exchequer.
Members of the Board of Directors of Tipperary Institute are expected to meet their colleagues from Limerick Institute of Technology over the coming months for initial talks on a possible future relationship.
Meanwhile the Ursuline Convent Secondary School here in Thurles is numbered among the countries Top Ten feeder schools for Third Level Education in Ireland. It comes as no great surprise to locals, that the Ursuline Convent had a 100% record this year with all 134 members of its 2009 Leaving Certificate Class going on to further third level education. Well done Ursulines.
Here is a thought – I wonder is Sister Berchmans on the Board of Directors of the Tipperary Institute and if not, why not? Maybe it is time that the Minister for Education and Science, who governs the Institute, appointed directors who have a real passion,coupled with a proven record in education.
To quote the Ursuline Order’ s school motto “Many hands build a house, So many hearts make a school”.
Anyone have workable plans out there that you would like to share with us? It would save us having to take to the streets again.
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