An insider's guide to education.

Rumours of the demise of the Noel Dempsey Roadshow (aka the Your Education System debates) have been exaggerated.

An impressive 500 people attended the forum in the ballroom of Jurys Hotel, Dublin, last week. Better still, the debate was attended by scores of young people. Some were members of the impressive Union of Secondary Students, but others were just ordinary kids anxious to have their say in the future of the education system.

The level of debate also went up a notch with the discussion focusing on wider issues, such as the values underpinning our education system. Most people, it seemed, put the usual spats about resources and parent/teacher meetings to one side.

During the meeting, Minister Dempsey sat quietly among the audience, taking copious notes. At the end, he stood up to simply thank those who had bothered to attend.

As usual, last week's meeting was attended by the ASTI's president, Pat Cahill, and ASTI vice-president Susie Hall, who seem to have been ever-present during the YES debates. Both are accomplished speakers, but their presence at every meeting has stirred an angry response from some in the primary teachers' union, INTO, who accuse them of trying to monopolise the debate.

Shocking news from the US where George Bush's education secretary last week called the National Education Association, the leading teachers' union, a "terrorist organisation".

The remarks have unleashed a storm of protest from the NEA. The union which is backing the Kerry camp, says "it is morally repugnant to equate those who teach America's children with terrorists".

The education secretary, Ron Paige has now apologised for his "inappropriate choice of words".

John White is now odds-on to replace Charlie Lennon after his weekend appointment as acting general secretary of the ASTI.

During this weekend's executive meeting, one member said White was the only senior figure he had not had a confrontation with - praise indeed! White's soothing presence has also been lauded by ASTI president Pat Cahill and vice president Susie Hall.

The Government made a big deal of their €18 million roll-out of broadband technology for schools. While the Ministers involved - Noel Dempsey and Dermot Ahern - can be congratulated for easing the pain on the public purse, there is no doubt that significant additional investment for new computers will be required.

Meanwhile, the OECD contends that we have one of the lowest levels of school computer use among its members.

• Got any education gossip? You can email us, in confidence, at teacherspet@irish-times.ie