On a regular basis the Sinn Féin minister of education John O’Dowd introduces some new ideological suggestion for education in Northern Ireland. The introduction of the ESA was the best solution where all education would come under the control of one body. However while the minister accepted that part of the Bain report on school numbers, he failed to implement the advice to dissolve CCMS. Under the freedom of information act, the Department of Education has disclosed that in the period between January 1 2012 and December 31 2014, CCMS £10,250,000 from the department and during the same period a further £242,560.85p.
All primary school budgets maintenance of buildings etc are controlled by the local Education Board, teaching and education standards are monitored by the ETI, decision on new schools are made by DENI and while CCMS claims to employ teachers in Catholic schools, salaries are paid directly by the Department of Education. There is no reason why one education authority and the Department of Education could not manage education in Northern Ireland. One must question the motive in the Department of Education and the Northern Ireland Assembly in retaining CCMS.
In a letter (copies handed out to parents in the Clintyclay area by Ms Gildernew while canvassing for the election) to Bronwyn McGahan on May 5 2015 and following the High Court ruling to quash the minister’s decision on Clintyclay school, John O’Dowd stated he “would engage with CCMS” in regard to education in that area. Is there a hidden agenda where the budgets assigned to those schools will instead be allocated to CCMS as part of the enormous figure already mentioned?
In the Republic, the Catholic Church and Sinn Féin oppose the closure of rural schools but in Northern Ireland the Catholic Church, through CCMS, has proposed the closure of a large number of rural schools – a proposal accepted by the Sinn Féin minister. On his pre-election trail Francie Molloy, the Sinn Féin MP for Mid-Ulster, called on the minister to question the CCMS policy which has led to “an imbalance between the maintained sector and state sector”. That part of the education budget allocated to CCMS would be better spent on the promotion of integrated schools in rural areas, where children from all religions would enjoy education in their own environment instead of being ‘bussed’ miles away to schools where they will be considered as outsiders by the resident population.
JAMES DONAGHY
Dungannon, Co Tyrone
People of Ireland want their country to be unified
I am delighted to see the new campaign for an all-Ireland referendum on Irish unity (One Ireland One Vote) being launched by the 1916 Societies (June 16), of which I am a member. Republicans have continually been called ‘undemocratic’ but this campaign shines a light on the undemocratic nature of partition in my opinion. It was imposed on the people without their consent and since we’ve had sham options put to the people of partition and yet more partition. The option of unity is never on the table. Why? Because they know the answer they would get. An Irish Times (December 2013) poll showed 64 per cent on this island would vote for unity even if meant higher taxes. Be it 1918 after the general election of that year, the Irish people want this country to be unified.
What is now proposed, neglecting the sectarian head-count used to scar the country, is the Irish people without impediment have a day to decide the future of this country. We call for this in confidence in our people to choose the right of all the Irish people – Catholic, Protestant and dissenter – to work collaboratively for the betterment for all on this little island of ours.
Nobody needs to regurgitate what Britain throughout the ages has inflicted on this country.
Some of the republican critics of this proposal have been polemic in their criticism at times but One Ireland One Vote is a means to restore the right of the Irish people to determine their own destiny rather than something in conflict with the 1919 Republic, it contests the British presence in Ireland, its partitioning of the country and its on-going physical occupation. We realise our right to national self-determination is inalienable but we have to recognise the modern reality of partition.
We can take things forward now engaging the people and using the very entity the British denied us for so long to defeat them – democracy.
PATRICK DONOHOE
Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Savage cuts in education
North Antrim Unite community branch has been contacted about the savage cuts being implemented by the minister for education John O’Dowd at Bushvalley Primary School in Stranocum.
Firstly, the small, well-attended rural school will be losing a teacher. Secondly, they will have to amalgamate some classes. This is wrong. Putting P1, P2, P3 and P4 as one has the potential to impact on children’s education.
The main bone of contention however, is the fact that due to the very small numbers of pupils that avail of free school meals and subsidised school uniforms, the school will receive less funding than schools where there is a large uptake of free school meals and uniforms. While we understand that there are areas of deprivation in Northern Ireland, the families cannot believe that their children are to be punished due to the fact that most parents work and do not claim benefits.
What message will this send to the children in Bushvalley Primary School.
This small rural school achieves good scores when the school gets audited by the inspectors. Is this the start of the downward spiral. We hope not.
JIM WRIGHT
Ballymoney, Co Antrim
Threat to democratic debate
I occasionally listen to ‘Nolan’, unfortunately it is necessary if you want to keep up with what passes for politics in Norn Iron.
I am nearly always incensed by him – not to say that he is not a good interrogator especially when he is grilling some politician who is trying to defend the indefensible.No it is the clever way he gets his own opinion across. He is entitled to his opinion but my concern is that he has become an opinion former and therefore leads his followers down the road he wants to go. This I think is wrong and dangerous as so many people are either too lazy or do not have the capacity to assimilate the full facts about a case and make up their own minds. That is what makes Nolan a danger. It is the duty of a professional interviewer to get the best out of his contributors so that his listeners are informed, not take part in the debate himself so that the listener takes his view away and makes it their own.
PETER McEVOY
Newry, Co Down
Fatal foetal abnormality
It is better that the new health minister Simon Hamilton is addressing the issue of fatal foetal abnormality through the existing Northern Ireland abortion law rather than through the totally misguided approach of the Department of Justice who wants to introduce a specific fatal foetal abnormality clause to the law.
Adding this clause would mean that a whole group of unborn babies would have no protection in law just because they have fatal foetal abnormalities.
This would be totally unacceptable. All human beings regardless of whatever disability or handicap they may have, have the right to life and the law should protect their right to life. The Department of Justice in proposing its misguided clause is not promoting true justice at all and this clause should be opposed by the parties at Stormont.
BRIAN RITCHIE
Lisburn, Co Antrim
