Has anyone heard anything from our TD's this week?

Trotter

I'm a bit concerned by the silence of the Waterford TDs this week. The outrage at the primary school class size and medical card issues has been seen nationwide, but I still have heard nothing from our TDs.

Wouldn't it be great to have noisy TDs who are prominent and vocal?

Martin Cullen can hardely say anything with him being part of the cabinet with "collective responsibility" for this mess.

I expected much more from Brendan Kenneally in terms of a national media statement that he's concerned by these cowardly attacks on children and pensioners. Many FF back benchers have given some sort of sign that they are not impressed.

From my own perspective, I am amazed and horrified by the arrogance of packing classrooms to save money. We now are up there at the top of league of the most packed classrooms in Europe. It really does make it very hard to teach children the way teachers are trained to do. Many children in Waterford will be badly effected by the education cuts.

I suspect the medical card issue will be sorted very soon, but I don't see the politicians having the morality to fight as hard and fast for the children. Why? Because they don't have a vote.

mike65

We have Dees of T?

I can't even remember what job Cullen has. The Bold Boy out wesht hasn't said a peep on anything for ages which is unusual. As for Keaneally was he not a teacher or is that Brian O'Shea?

Mike

Not The Real Scarecrow

I personally think the whole thing is laughable,on one hand the government is saying that every one must up skill and they will try and help people do so , so that we can meet the current economic challenges, then on the other hand they're making a hames of the education system and raising college fees.Meanwhile after all the crap about Fas, Fas is still on the go and getting funding.Surely if they want people to be up skilled then the key lies in better schools and more people attending 3rd level education instead of some crappy Fas course where they are going to be learning skills that are no longer economically viable in the current and future economic landscape.The education system is gonna slip big time unless something is done, I'm a firm believer in the notion of setting down strong foundations for kids in schools to help them hopefully have a good shot at life, however the way things are going ,the future don't look too bright for the youngsters.

Sully

mike65 wrote: »

We have Dees of T?

I can't even remember what job Cullen has. The Bold Boy out wesht hasn't said a peep on anything for ages which is unusual. As for Keaneally was he not a teacher or is that Brian O'Shea?

Mike

Cullen is Minister for Sports and Tourism, but never hear him doing anything. NEVER here of Keneally, I said it in one of the election threads here. Brian might be the teacher, good bloke.

Ri na hEireann

I was chatting with Paudie Coffey the FG senator the other evening and he seems genuinely appauled by the whole thing, particularly the education cuts (especially these actually). Will be interesting to see what he says in the Seanad next week.

Keneally loves getting in on any sort of press release...He's in nearly every local paper on a weekly basis defending the Gov or voicing his opinion on anything he can. He hasn't yet shown the gonads to tackle his buddies on this farce of a budget. Would himslef and Martin be close?

brendansmith

Sully wrote: »

Cullen is Minister for Sports and Tourism, but never hear him doing anything. NEVER here of Keneally, I said it in one of the election threads here. Brian might be the teacher, good bloke.

What??
Sully, What on earth does this mean?

KingLoser

I have noticed a spooky silence since Budget day down here, I think a lot of people are sitting on their hands until the "pending" decision on the WIT is given.

Martin Cullen cuts ribbons these days.

Ri na hEireann

KingLoser wrote: »

I have noticed a spooky silence since Budget day down here, I think a lot of people are sitting on their hands until the "pending" decision on the WIT is given.

Martin Cullen cuts ribbons these days.

Do you honestly think we have any chance of getting a university off this shower in the current climate....no hope.

And yes that's about the extent of his Cabinet duties...so much for having a Waterford Minister at the Cabinet table.

KingLoser

Ri na hEireann wrote: »

Do you honestly think we have any chance of getting a university off this shower in the current climate....no hope.

And yes that's about the extent of his Cabinet duties...so much for having a Waterford Minister at the Cabinet table.

I think it's a no hoper too, but the decision is still pending.

Sully

brendansmith wrote: »

What??
Sully, What on earth does this mean?

I dont see the confusion..

Martin Cullen is currently Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. I rarley hear him say anything (though I hear he has hit out recently at the objections to the KRM development).

I said during the elections and ill say it again that I very very rarely hear anything from Keneally.

I believe Brian OShea is/was a teacher.

Hope that clarifys that questions for you Brendan.

On the subject, I only ever hear comments from Sinn Feinn (who had about 5 people protesting against the budget outside Soundstore today :rolleyes:) and Fine Gael when it comes to politicans in Waterford

Ri na hEireann

Sully wrote: »

I dont see the confusion..

Martin Cullen is currently Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. I rarley hear him say anything (though I hear he has hit out recently at the objections to the KRM development).

I said during the elections and ill say it again that I very very rarely hear anything from Keneally.

I believe Brian OShea is/was a teacher.

Hope that clarifys that questions for you Brendan.

On the subject, I only ever hear comments from Sinn Feinn (who had about 5 people protesting against the budget outside Soundstore today :rolleyes:) and Fine Gael when it comes to politicans in Waterford

Not really true....A few months back there was a meeting of FG councillors from Waterford,Wexford and KK to get behind the drive for a uni in Waterford and Brian Hayes, FG's spokesperson for education came to Waterford in March to release a policy document in relation to overhauling the third level system in Ireland and it also included upgrading WIT to a university.

WIT and the South East Region
"The Government's National Spatial Strategy has designated Waterford as a Gateway but it has neglected to follow this up with proper investment in education in the region. This is particularly stark when one considers that only 11.2% if adults in the South-East Region have completed third level education to degree level or higher compared to 15.6% nationally and 21.3% in Dublin.

"There is no university in the South East and it may be argued that WIT has developed to the point that it would fill this void. WIT has a fulltime student population in excess of 6,000 and over 3,000 part-time students. With further increases in population over the next number of years in the South East, the question of how to best address the regional and national education concerns arise.



Fine Gael's Proposals
Overhaul Section 9 of the University Act
"Section 9 of the University Act sets out the criteria colleges must meet in order to make the transition to universities. Fine Gael proposes, as the Port Report has recommended, that new criteria be set out for successfully allowing colleges to make applications under Section 9 of the Universities Act 1997 to make the transition to Universities.

"These criteria would include; independent governance, scale and range of provision, university cultural ethos, quality assurance and academic standards, an appropriate context of scholarly activity (including research), an appropriate role in the cultural, social and economic life of the region.

Application for a new university in the South East to be accepted
"The application for a new university in the South East should be accepted, pending a positive outcome to an examination of this application under Section 9 of the Universities Act 1997

I look at this kind of thing as more positive than a few feeble groans from Cullen with no real substance behind them. It's time he swapped his collective cabinet responsibility with some passion for the constituents that elected him. If he was to deliver a university at WIT he would go down as a hero in the county's history....must be somewhat appealing.

*Just an afterthought....as far as I know Labour had it in their 2007 election manifesto come to think of it

Sully

Im confused... I didnt say we never heard from FG - I said we heard more from FG and SF over FF councillors.

Ri na hEireann

Sully wrote: »

Im confused... I didnt say we never heard from FG - I said we heard more from FG and SF over FF councillors.

Ha sorry completely misread the post my bad....

Cabaal

Sully wrote: »

On the subject, I only ever hear comments from Sinn Feinn (who had about 5 people protesting against the budget outside Soundstore today :rolleyes:) and Fine Gael when it comes to politicans in Waterford

As much as I personally dislike soundstore what the feck to SF have against it?

Sully

Cabaal wrote: »

As much as I personally dislike soundstore what the feck to SF have against it?

LOL. No, they were protesting outside of it over the budget. Asking for a full reversal I think. There were about 5 holding plackards spread out.

Im not to sure what they thought they were going to be getting doing it there, bar public attention.

Trotter

Still nothing from any of them. I really hope theres new life on the ballot paper next time because I'm not surprised the city is on its knees.