29 January 2014 - Death of Sean Flynn
It is with a great sense of sadness that IPPN has learned of the passing of Seán Flynn, Education Editor of the Irish Times.
Sean Cottrell, Director of IPPN, said ‘Seán’s interest in education went far beyond what was required of him as a journalist. His interest in change and pursuit of new ideas kept him at the cutting edge of education news. Tuesday’s Irish Times was always compulsive reading’.
24th January 2014 - Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) Director Seán Cottrell calls on Minister to take action on the “unreasonable expectations” threatening pupils’ future
In a hard hitting message delivered directly to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, who’s attending this year’s IPPN conference at the City West Hotel, Saggart, Co. Dublin on 23 and 24 January, IPPN Director Seán Cottrell said primary school principals are in imminent danger of neither having the time nor the resources to deliver the service their pupils deserve because of the increasing and often conflicting demands being made on their time and workload.
23rd January 2014 - Curriculum overload, maintaining standards in the face of increasing cutbacks and the belief that schools can fix everything among the “great expectations” faced by Primary school Principals says IPPN President in his address to 2014 c
In his opening address to a 1,100 strong audience at this year’s Irish Primary Principals Network conference in City West Convention Centre, Saggart, Co. Dublin, IPPN President Brendan McCabe expanded on the reasons behind the theme for the conference, “Great Expectations.”
17th January 2014 - Draft IPPN Statement on Book Rental
IPPN recognises the value to schools of having a book rental scheme in place, particularly in areas of acute disadvantage.
IPPN is encouraged that Minister Quinn recognises that schools require government support to set up book rental schemes due to the prohibitive start-up costs.
However, IPPN is disappointed that Minister Quinn did not see fit to treat all schools equally when reaching a decision on the allocation of funding. This is an affront to proactive schools that have already established Book Rental Schemes from the proceeds of fundraising or the diversion of capitation funding.
IPPN is making representations on behalf of these schools to the Minister and will keep you informed of developments
