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 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.
Approval has been granted to the County Tipperary Joint Libraries Committee for the provision of a replacement library delivery van for County Tipperary.
 Thurles Library The grant to be provided, which will amount to €30,237.90 and this grant will go towards the purchase and provision of upgrading the present mobile library vehicle.
The accepted tender came from Surehaul (Irl) Ltd, and funding will come from the coffers of the Department of the Environment.
Local North Tipperary Independent TD Michael Lowry stated that this excellent scheme currently being provided by the Library Service would further enhanced the lives of the many people who currently used it, who would otherwise not be able to use the more conventional library services in North Tipperary.
He also stated that he hoped that the provision of this mobile library would further improve the service itself and he would encourage anyone who wished to avail of this mobile unit to immediately contact their nearest library to ascertain when the unit will visit in their area next.
 Michael Cusack 1847- 1906 founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association Among the many functions being held country-wide to mark the 125th anniversary of the Gaelic Athletic Association, is a novel idea arranged by a number of teachers in the Co. Tipperary Education Centre here in Thurles.
All of the primary schools in town were invited to submit projects to mark this special occasion, and the response from the students has been magnificent.
The results of their endeavours are on show in Tipperary Institute, and include videos conceived and produced by the students themselves, along with drawings, displays, pictures and essays.
All the work will be recognised on Wednesday 4th November in the Institute at a function to be attended by a number of dignitaries, including members of the Tipperary Senior hurling panel.
Now this is where the novel idea comes into being.
A number of local actors will stage a re-enactment of the very first meeting of the Gaelic Athletic Association, held in Miss Hayes’ Hotel, Main Street, Thurles, on November 1st 1884, with a specially commissioned script based on contemporary accounts of the meeting.
It is hoped to have a link with the Michael Cusack Centre in Clare during the presentation.
This event promises to be an historical and educational evening.
The following motion was passed unanimously on current education cuts at the Church of Ireland conjoint meeting of the Diocesan Synods of Cashel, Ossory and Ferns Diocesan Synods meeting in the Woodlands Hotel, Waterford on 21st October, 2009.
Motion:
“That the joint synods of Cashel and Ossory and Ferns, meeting in Waterford on Wednesday 21 October 2009, wish to convey to the Minister for Education and Science:
- Their extreme disquiet at the unilateral re-designation of Protestant managed voluntary secondary schools outside the ‘free’ sector.
- Their concern that the full contents of the advice of the Attorney-General concerning the supposed unconstitutionality of the former financing arrangements is not being made available for open discussion.
Furthermore the synods would wish to express to Archbishops John Neill and Diarmuid Martin their gratitude for the forthright common Christian approach they have taken regarding this matter.”
This motion follows the withdrawal of over €2.8m in grants from Protestant schools because the payment was deemed ‘unconstitutional’ by the Irish Attorney General.
 The Taoiseach Mr. Brian Cowen at Wolfe Tone Commemoration 2009 Requests by opposition party’s that Taoiseach Brian Cowen outline details of exactly who and why the Irish Attorney General’s advice was sought after 43 years of the Protestant Ancillary Grant being paid without problem, have been refused.
It is also reported that a request from the Irish Independent newspaper for all information relating to the decision reached has also been refused by the Department of Education.
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, His Grace Dr Diarmuid Martin has stated that this grant aid to Protestant schools should not be cut. Roman Catholic fee-paying schools have had no difficulty with the funding Protestant schools have received in the past, he stated.
The last Budget also increased the pupil teacher ratio in Protestant schools from 18 to1 to 20 to 1.
In a hard hitting speech at the prize-day of Midleton College, Cork, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, the Rt Rev’d Paul Colton, contradicted the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Batt O’Keeffe’s version of the Protestant Schools dispute.
He stated:
“There has been much in the media since our last prize-day about schools such as ours. On this occasion when we celebrate the life of this school, and indeed schools like it, as Chairperson of the Board of Management, I take this opportunity to clarify one aspect of this sorry business.
Contrary to what the Minister for Education and Science has stated, the Bishops of the Church of Ireland, and those who work with us, have indeed responded to him since our meeting with him on 5th November 2008. Again and again, including in a Sunday newspaper article two weeks ago, in Dáil Éireann this week, in what has become a defensive mantra, the Minister says that he is still waiting to hear our proposals in response to the budgetary brutality and financial backstreet butchery inflicted on Protestant schools in last year’s Budget.
Continue reading Education Motion Passed By C Of I Diocesan Synods
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