An insider's guide to education.
Fresh details are emerging of the extraordinary contribution of Chuck Feeney to Irish education. The publicity-shy Irish-American philanthropist is now known to have donated . . . wait for it . . . €100 million to DCU alone.
Feeney funded or part-funded a huge range of facilities at DCU including computer and research centres, student accommodation, the chemical/biological sciences building and, of course, the wonderful Helix theatre.
As the north Dublin university celebrates its 25th anniversary there will be no special reception for Chuck - which is just the way he would like it. Unlike other donors, he does not want his name emblazoned over any building. Feeney travels economy class around the world and has been known to tour the third-level sector here in a battered Japanese car.
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Is it our imagination or has the media honeymoon ended for Fine Gael's education spokeswoman Olwyn Enright?
Some harsh words appeared recently in one broadsheet and some of the delegates at the recent principals' conference in Galway were also a tad critical.
Hopefully, Olwyn does not take this stuff too seriously. How would the begrudgers like to be marking a class act like Mary Hanafin in the Dáil?
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Last Friday, the Department of Education's chief inspector, Eamonn Stack, sent a team of inspectors into a Gaelscoil in Tralee, Co Kerry. This follows complaints from parents that very young children were being denied lessons in English.
Some in the department are known to have been concerned by reports that junior and senior infants were getting no English language tuition at Gaelscoil MhicEasmuinn. Secretary general Brigid McManus even fired off a letter last April expressing concern.
But is the Department in a position to do very much given the ambiguity of current regulations governing Gaelscoileanna? Watch this space.
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Property news. With 37 prime city-centre sites coming on stream, DIT boss Brian Norton can expect plenty of calls from other third-level colleges in the area.
As DIT packs its bags for Grangegorman, its facilities at Aungier Street would appear to be ideal for the expanding Royal College of Surgeons, located in nearby Stephen's Green. Or will other colleges pitch in a bid?
Got any education gossip? E-mail us, in confidence, at teacherspet@irish-times.ie
