Friday 22 May 2009

Does the pupil have a note to explain their absence?

THERE was a furore when the Irish News reported that Education Minister Catriona Ruane had taken her daughter out of school for 3 days so she could join her mother on a visit to Cyprus.

It has to be the ultimate absence note – one signed by the Education Minister. After all, if your school really, really wants an impromptu inspection then it would be a brave principal that would pick up the phone to ask the Catriona Ruane to explain why their offspring was off during term time.

Ruane’s stout defence of a parent’s right to absent their child from class rang hollow for some. There must come a point where the media considers the implications for the child. One can only imagine the reaction of her daughter’s classmates to the story, which received widespread coverage in the local press.

And, one can only imagine the reaction of the Minister when news broke that the Irish Government announced that it was not continuing to jointly fund the Middletown Autism Centre of Excellence in Armagh.

Beleaguered Ruane insisted that it would not be the end of the centre. But one has to wonder what it heralds in terms of funding from the Republic.

The €400 million promised by the Irish Government for infrastructure developments in the north (better roads to you and me) could also be at serious risk, given the perilous state of public sector finances south of the border.

And, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board is reporting a 26 per cent increase in visitors from the Republic, and a shopping centre in Banbridge reporting a 20 per cent increase in sales thanks to southern shoppers.

It would be a brave member of the Dáil who would recommend better roads to take the euros across the border.

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