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An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is throwing enormous sums of our money around like confetti on projects that are not absolutely necessary. Investing in education and health is absolutely necessary.
Bertie wants to build a play park. The problem with his play park is that nobody wanted to play in it. He went around offering loads of goodies until sporting organisations agreed to play in his play park. He offered £60m to the GAA for Croke Park. There were no strings attached to this generous donation. He offered it to the GAA the day before a crucial vote was taken on whether the GAA should allow soccer and rugby to be played in Croke Park. They narrowly voted against such a move. This suited Bertie as it meant more people would have to come and play in his play park. He offered lots of money to the FAI who were thinking of building their own stadium. They kept refusing saying they wanted their own park. Eventually he offered them so much money they abandoned their own plans and decided they would play in Bertie's play park.
Bertie wants to build his play park in Abbotstown. A state of the art centre of disease control is situated in Abbotstown, right in the middle of Bertie's proposed play park. Trying to play football around the disease centre could be a problem. No problem - we'll just knock it down and rebuild it in Kildare. The costs of Bertie's play park are now staggering, probably close to one billion pounds. And Bertie thinks the teachers are behaving irresponsibly. Strange, isn't it?
An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is throwing enormous sums of our money around like confetti on projects that are not absolutely necessary. Investing in education and health is absolutely necessary.
Dr. Michael Woods, the Minister for Education, is aghast at teacher's behaviour. Last month the good doctor went to Dublin Airport to send off a group of teachers and parents on their way to a conference in America. His Department is sponsoring the trip. At the conference the group will learn of the latest educational developments relating to autism. Children with autism need early and intensive intervention if they are to realise their educational potential. The sponsorship of such a trip by the Minister's department is correct and essential.
However, on the other hand, the state is suing the mother of an autistic child for the return of £40,000. The High Court awarded her compensation for the work she did in educating her child as a result of state neglect. If the state does not appeal this award, many parents who made up for the state's shortfall in educating our most vulnerable children could seek similar awards. So as he was waving goodbye to the group of teachers and parents, the state was pursuing its case in the Supreme Court. Strange, isn't it?
