• Department has given green light
• Vital to meet shortfall in substitute teachers

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the confirmation that a cohort of student teachers will be permitted to fill in for schools where substitute teachers are scarce.

Following positive engagement between the Department of Education and Higher Education Institutions who provide primary initial teacher education programmes, it has been agreed to facilitate release of PME and B.Ed. year 3 and year 4 students to support schools up to the end of term.

They have also agreed to explore flexible options in relation to the assessment requirement for programmes in the context of students being available to support schools.

“This is a suggestion I had brought directly to Minister Norma Foley over the past fortnight and I saw first-hand how schools have been struggling – but in particular, I felt that there was a potential role to be played by student teachers,”

“These are teachers who have largely completed their degree – following the Christmas break, they’re down to examinations and project work.

“Their teaching practice placements have largely been fulfilled and so too have most of their pedological studies.

“It makes sense that we would deploy them to the frontline at this time of crisis.

“The cumulative effect of having student teachers from all colleges could add an additional 1,000 teachers to classroom duties over the coming weeks, which would significantly alleviate the current problem.

“I’m glad also that teachers on secondment to the PDST will also now, in many instances, return to the classroom.

“These are teachers who ordinarily would be teaching their own class but they’re now working with the Department of Education to assist with the upskilling and continuous professional development in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

“I believe that there is still a role for the inspectorate to also help at this time and I hope that the cumulative efforts of all of these groups will address the significant shortfall in terms of substitute teachers that we, as a country, are facing at this time.

“As always, until such a time that the shortage has been met, I stand ready to assist with schools in Clare in cases where I will not displace any other teacher.”

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• Kieran Mulvey to lead talks
• Hope now on the horizon to end dispute

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the news that a mediator has been appointed to oversee talks aimed at reaching a resolve in the ongoing dispute surrounding Doolin Coast Guard.

Kieran Mulvey, former director general of the Workplace Relations Commission, has been requested by the Department of Transport to oversee proceedings.

“I’m delighted that Kieran Mulvey has been appointed – he’s a highly skilled mediator and I believe that he has the skills required to unlock the situation at Doolin, which has been at an impasse for some time,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Mr Mulvey’s skills have recently been shown in his ability to resolve the long-running controversy surrounding the Irish Aviation Authority air traffic controllers dispute.

“I have met with and corresponded with many of the volunteers at Doolin Coast Guard station.

“They’re all highly valued individuals and carry out such important work.

“The station being closed, albeit on a temporary basis, has left many people throughout Co. Clare – particularly in coastal communities – feeling very concerned.

“I have met with Minister Hildegarde Naughton and have also spoken with other colleagues in government about the need to fast-track mediation.

“I’m glad that this is now happening with expediency and I hope that, very quickly, the base can be reopened again.

“Six volunteers recently resigned leaving 12 volunteers members remaining.

“I hold the view that many of the competencies fulfilled by the base, including support to road ambulance and air ambulance operations, can still be fulfilled even with a reduced cohort of volunteers.

“Mediation will commence in the coming days, but all efforts now must be focused on reopening the station in the quickest possible time.”

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• CoronaVac and Sinopharm now recognised by Ireland
• Relief for Irish diaspora

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the changes to the definition of a vaccinated person for the purposes of travel into Ireland, with two Chinese vaccines added to the approved list.

Sinopharm and CoronaVac have both been given the green light, with those who have proof of being fully vaccinated with either of those now permitted to enter the country and indeed the EU.

“I’m glad that sense have prevailed across the European Union and these vaccinations, which have been largely administered in the Middle East and Asia, are now being recognised for their efficacy,” said Deputy Crowe.

“This will make international travel through airports more fluid and will allow a lot of the Irish diaspora, particularly those residing in the Middle East, to return to Ireland without too much complication.

“I had raised the issue of these other vaccines with Minister Donnelly over recent months and whilst he was very open to my suggestions, he repeatedly made the point that it was the European Medicines Agency and the EU bloc overall that had the responsibility to determine which jabs would be recognised for international travel.

“With Covid very much on the rise, some people will undoubtedly be deterred from travelling internationally over the coming weeks and some may even put off their plans to come home to Ireland for Christmas.

“I hope that people will continue to book flights and fly internationally but we need to continue to have a very cautious approach in terms of Covid certification.

“Only those who are vaccinated or Covid recovered can travel at this time.

“The biggest surge in vaccinations in Ireland took place in June and July of this year, and now according to leading scientists, the efficacy of these vaccines is beginning to wane.

“These people will require booster shots and this in turn should help to reduce the instance of Covid and overall rate of transmission.

“I recently flew from Shannon to London, and I found that I felt very reassured by the procedures in place in Shannon Airport.

“In many ways, international air travel could be considered less of a risk than taking a local bus or train.

“When one travels on an airplane, they know that the passengers around them have been checked for Covid before the flight.

“The inclusion of new vaccines this month will pave the way for more people to travel but also for the depth of Covid tracking to be further deepened.”

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• Disadvantaged areas in particular to benefit
• Funding to be administered locally

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the allocation of €278,514 in funding for Clare County Council, to support community groups impacted by COVID-19.

The overall €9 million Community Activities Fund will support groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities.

Funding can also be sought for assistance with necessary repairs and to purchase equipment such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment; while disadvantaged areas in particular are being focused on.

“It goes without saying that the Covid-19 pandemic has hit most people and groups in the pocket in some way or other, but smaller community groups have been particularly badly hit,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Consecutive lockdowns have left it extremely difficult to have a rainy-day fund and many groups have seen their coffers dry up, as they continue to pay for their rent or bills and so on.

“It is for this reason that the Community Activities Fund is so important and I would strongly encourage all groups that may be eligible to benefit under this fund to express their interest as soon as they possibly can.

“Groups such as men’s and women’s sheds, parish halls, youth centres and community centres are all being targeted.

“I’ve met a number of these groups around the county since my election to Dáil Éireann and I also visit a number of community centres every single month to do my clinics.

“I know how hard it is for these groups, most of whom are ran by dedicated teams of volunteers, to keep their heads above water.

“Yet they have continued to do so and continue to serve their community throughout this difficult period.

“These grants may be small in nature but can help tide a group over and give them a much-needed boost at a time when they are unable to raise money in the more traditional ways.

“I would encourage anybody who is interested in getting some financial support to make contact with Clare County Council’s rural development team as soon as possible.”

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