Latest news with #JenCummins
The Journal
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Journal
'An attempt to rinse hard-pressed families': TDs slam new 'exit through gift shop' rule at zoo
TWO DUBLIN TDS have added their voices to criticism of Dublin Zoo over the change to the attraction's exit route which means customers are now advised to leave via the gift shop. Parents contacted The Journal earlier this week to express their anger over the rule, arguing that the change has led to unnecessary pressure to purchase items from the shop. One parent we spoke to said it was the 'last thing' families need after hours of walking around the zoo. The change leaves parents of small kids having to deal with potential demands and tantrums, the zoo customer said – 'whereas previously we could have simply left via the main gates and walked back to the car park without passing the shop at all'. In the wake of the publication of our original article , customer services staff at the zoo confirmed to parents who complained that some changes were being brought in and that from now on any visitor who asked to leave via the old route (through turnstyles at the main gate) would be permitted to do so. However, visitors need to ask a staff member to be told that that's an option. Photos taken at the zoo yesterday afternoon showed signage placed around the turnstyles with 'NO ENTRY' displayed in large lettering and a direction to 'please exit Dublin Zoo via our Gift Shop'. A spokesperson for the zoo did not respond to a question on whether management would consider bringing in clear signage to make customers aware of the alternative to the gift shop exit. Dublin South Central TD for the Social Democrats Jen Cummins said going to the zoo is already expensive enough without additional pressure to spend money being placed on parents and guardians. The gate price for entry for two adults and two children is currently €72.50 – with discounts available for advance booking. Cummins, who has four children, said: 'From a parent's perspective, trying to corral a child to get out of the zoo is a feat in itself. But now having to go through the gift shop, it's a real Americanisation – I think we can move away from that here, we don't need to do that.' 'I thought it was working very well before. I mean, lots of people are going to the shop anyway, it's not like everyone was avoiding it. Parental choice is really important in these situations, and perhaps people would be thinking about not going to the zoo if there is going to be an added cost on top of the entry fee.' As for the zoo's position that parents should request an alternative exit, Cummins said: Advertisement 'The idea of what they are saying of 'if you give us a nod, we will let you out the other way' [...] are you really going to be the one parent who says 'I'll go out that way' while your child is hysterical?' Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins TD Fingal East TD for Labour Duncan Smith called on the zoo to go back to the old system, arguing that the new exit route feels like an attempt to 'rinse' people before they leave. 'I am urging Dublin Zoo to revert to the previous system of entrance and exit from the zoo. As a regular visitor to the zoo with my family, I am fully aware of the costs associated with a visit to what is a great Dublin amenity. 'Many families have to make a budgetary decision in order to visit in the first place. There is a safe and senisble exit adjacent to the gift shop and it should be left to visitors' discretion as to whether they visit the gift shop. 'This feels like an attempt to rinse hard-pressed families before they leave.' Labour TD Duncan Smith. Leah Farrell / Leah Farrell / / Other parents who contacted The Journal this week said they would not be going to the zoo while the new arrangement remained in place. Some also raised concerns about the burden being placed on parents of children with additional needs in particular. The Zoological Society of Ireland, which runs Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, had an income of €25.1 million in 2023 and its annual report for that year noted a surplus of €131,000. Figures for 2024 are not yet publicly available. The zoo is a not-for-profit organisation. In its initial statement earlier this week the zoo confirmed the change to the exit route had been brought in, adding: 'Dublin Zoo remains committed to providing a positive experience for all guests and we value all feedback as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the visitor experience.' In response to follow-up queries, including one about how visitors would be told about the alternative exit option (via the turnstyles), a spokesperson said yesterday: 'If a parent or guardian deems the exit unsuitable or inaccessible for themselves, their family, or guests, Dublin Zoo can make arrangements to facilitate departure through an alternative gate.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Traveller and Roma culture to be included in school curriculum, says Department of Education
The Department of Education is working on a plan to promote better understanding of Traveller and Roma identity in schools, an Oireachtas committee has heard. The committee also heard 15 link workers will be employed in areas with high enrolment of Travellers and Roma children to encourage better communication between schools, children and their parents. These link workers will be 'very much rooted in the community' and will act as culturally sensitive mediators, said Grainne Cullen, principal officer at the Department of Education and Youth. Two national co-ordinators have already been appointed, the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community heard. This policy is modelled on the Supporting Travellers and Roma (STAR) programme, piloted in schools between 2019 and 2024. [ Greater Traveller representation needed in Irish politics, says UN committee Opens in new window ] Latest figures from the department say 31.4 per cent of Traveller children sit the Leaving Certificate, compared to the national average of 91.7 per cent. Traveller and Roma children are also much more likely than non-Travellers to be on a reduced school hours programme. Social Democrat TD Jen Cummins said that in her experience from a recent visit to the Ballyfermot Traveller Action Project, motivating children on reduced hours to go to school is difficult. 'There is nothing less motivating for a child than to get up, get ready and go to school for only an hour,' she said. 'We must try harder.' The department said it was changing the way schools report reduced school hours and was engaging with the Traveller and Roma community to develop a national campaign to tackle issues of attendance. Among the other policies contained in the strategy is a three-strand approach to respecting and promoting understanding of Traveller identity in schools. Ms Cullen spoke about educating student teachers about Traveller history and culture, providing opportunities and resources for professional learning, and including Traveller histories in the school curriculum. [ 'I had to hide my identity': Traveller students on their experiences in higher education Opens in new window ] The department drew particular attention to their new video resource for teachers produced by education specialist Dr Hannagh McGinley. Cliodhna O'Neill, assistant secretary general at the Department of Education, said the 'work is essential to promoting understanding, respect and pride in Traveller culture among all students'. Ms O'Neill said the department understood how important it was for young people to have a visual representation of their culture. This decision received positive feedback from the committee, with Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis saying this was 'very worthwhile'. Members of the committee agreed the department should maintain a focus on eliminating intergenerational barriers to education, such as through adult literacy initiatives.
Extra.ie
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Alarm at spike in 'chronic' school absences
Education Minister Helen McEntee has been accused of 'repackaging' old policies, which were 'gutted' in the austerity era, as 'a new solution' to soaring school absenteeism. The number of children 'chronically absent' from school – meaning they miss 20 or more days a year – has increased by 62,000 since the 2017/2018 academic year, to 175,000 in 2022/23. It means that a shocking 24% of the total population at both primary and secondary levels have missed enough days to compel schools to report their absences to Tusla. Education Minister Helen McEntee. Pic: Stephen Collins /Collins Photos Ms McEntee yesterday announced a suite of measures to tackle school absenteeism, which she described as 'hugely alarming'. Among these was a commitment to provide continued investment in the School Completion Programme (SCP) and Educational Welfare Service, and the implementation of a framework to help schools 'analyse and respond to attendance data'. However, funding for the SCP has been slashed since the economic crash in 2008, and is €7million below its level then. Jen Cummins, education spokeswoman for the Social Democrats. Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos Jen Cummins, education spokeswoman for the Social Democrats, has voiced 'frustration' over the narrative around the measures, saying: 'We're being told this is a new initiative. It's not.' Ms Cummins worked as a co-ordinator in the SCP for 18 years prior to entering politics. The programme targets students who are potentially at risk of early school leaving and tries to keep them in education or training initiatives. A paper from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) found that the SCP 'helps make attending school a more positive experience for children and young people'. Pic: Getty Images However, the paper notes widespread dissatisfaction among coordinators in terms of resources. Funding for the SCP fell from €32.9million in 2008 to €23.3million in 2019. Extra money has been allocated to it since 2020, with its funding allocation reaching € 31.6 million in 2023, but the ESRI highlights that current funding lags behind pre-cash levels when inflation is factored in. 'The equivalent of 2008 funding levels would be €38.7million in 2023 prices, compared to actual levels of funding of €31.6million in 2023,' the researchers wrote. Jen Cummins, education spokeswoman for the Social Democrats. Pic: Alan Rowlette/© While Covid was a significant driver of absenteeism, Ms Cummins said the 'erosion' of initiatives like the SCP has been 'deeply damaging', and has made it harder for schools to cope with absenteeism. She told 'We used to have attendance monitors who would work for three hours a day monitoring whole school attendance. 'They promoted positive attendance and punctuality… but during the austerity period the SCP moved under the remit of Tusla and funding was reduced. And it was just death by a thousand cuts, because we had to reduce and reduce and reduce the hours for attendance monitors. Pic: File 'Some staff moved on, some programmes couldn't afford to continue, and none of it was backed up by Tusla or the department. Now, the Department of Education is piloting a new attendance strategy that mirrors almost exactly what SCPs were doing a decade ago. 'We're being told this is a new initiative. It's not. It's the resurrection of a strategy that was working–until the State pulled the rug out from under it.' Ms Cummins welcomed efforts to strengthen the role of educational welfare officers and the announcement of a national communications campaign to promote the importance of regular attendance. She also praised plans to bring children under six within the scope of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 to ensure earlier intervention. However, she questioned how the new framework, called Anseo, will work without extra resourcing. She said: 'It is great they're going to focus on attendance, but they need someone dedicated in school to do that. Are you going to ask the school secretary, who's already doing a million things a day?' She added: 'The reason attendance promoters worked so well is because there was a dedicated staff member. 'Attendance is not just a number – it's a lifeline. This Government is only waking up to that now, after stripping away the teams that were tackling the issue. It's not good enough. 'There must be immediate reinvestment in the SCP, with restored funding for attendance-specific roles across all Deis schools, and accountability for the policy decisions that created the crisis.' Pic: Getty Images Data provided by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, shows 12.4 million days were lost across primary and secondary students for the 2022/2023 academic year due to absenteeism. This was an increase on the 10.2million days lost in 2017/2018, when data was last available before the pandemic. Over 175,000 students missed 20 or more days in 2022/2023, a rise of 62,000 on pre-pandemic levels to equate to one in every four school children (24%). The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) said there is evidence that the pandemic led to increased absenteeism. 'A key concern for the ASTI is the lack of adequate supports within and outside schools to support them in putting strategies in place for students at risk,' the union said. According to Tallaght Community National School principal Conor McCarthy, numerous factors, some of which are linked to Covid, are fuelling school absenteeism. He cited a rise in the number of parents working from home, more families going on holiday at off-peak times and a growing number of migrant children facing difficulties attending school due to their accommodation. 'In general, parents are not making as much of an effort to send their children to school,' Mr McCarthy said. The principal, who returned to the classroom last year due to a shortage of teachers, said chronic absenteeism means 'any issues a child may experience at school is compounded'. He said missing stretches of the curriculum can have repercussions on a child's educational and social development. 'The less they are in the classroom, the harder they might find it to build relationships, which has a knock-on effect on their social wellbeing,' he said. 'If a student is coming back to school after missing a week, the class might have learned a new song or poem and that child feels on the outside because they can't join in.' Ms McEntee said the issue 'warrants action'. 'This is why I am today announcing a comprehensive suite of measures to improve school attendance,' she said. 'Attendance is linked with attainment and with completing school. While there is excellent practice in schools to support children and young people to attend, we must listen to the data from Tusla and redouble our efforts.' She added: 'These measures are rooted in evidence and collaboration and are designed to ensure every child is supported to attend, engage and succeed in school, to enhance their lifelong opportunities.'
Belfast Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Government pressed as survey shows teachers want schools to be more secular
The survey, issued by Civica to members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), found that just 4% of teachers think preparing students for sacraments should be the responsibility of primary schools. The research – carried out on behalf of the largest teachers' union on the island, representing 45,000 primary school teachers in the Republic – indicated that 47% believe the family should take responsibility, while 30% said it should be the parish. The 34-question survey collected data online from 1,049 respondents from January 8 to 17. The vast majority said they taught in Catholic schools (88%), with 5% in Educate Together and 4% in Church of Ireland schools. A large majority said children in all schools should be taught about other religions (83%), with just 9% saying they should not. And 63% said primary school education should have secular patrons, while 37% said they should be religious. A slight majority (57%) said faith formation should not take place in schools, while 43% said it should. Asked whether religion should be taught in schools by the class teacher, 46% said no and 39% said yes. On Wednesday, INTO members accepted recommendations by a union taskforce to accelerate the divestment of schools, to call for the collection of national data on parental and community preferences; and challenge the requirement for a religious certificate as a condition of employment in denominational schools. 'The findings from our survey and the comprehensive work of our taskforce reflect a concern among teachers about the mismatch between modern Irish society and the structures governing our primary schools,' INTO general secretary John Boyle said. 'INTO members want a school system that is inclusive, equitable and reflective of the diversity of our pupils.' The Social Democrats and People Before Profit called for the findings of the survey to be acted on by the Government. Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins said the survey confirms 'widespread support among primary school teachers for a reduced role of religion in our classrooms'. 'The results reflect a growing consensus in Irish society that our education system must evolve to reflect the diversity of modern Ireland,' the party's education spokeswoman said. 'It is therefore not surprising that the INTO survey found that most primary teachers want secular patrons for schools and believe faith formation should no longer take place in the classroom.' Ms Cummins said the last programme for government committed to delivering 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030, but this was 'highly unlikely' to be achieved. She also expressed concern that a proposal for a citizens' assembly on education appears to have been 'watered down' to a national convention on education. Then-taoiseach Simon Harris said in July that the Government had 'not yet' considered the question of establishing a citizens' assembly on education. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said Ireland's education system remains 'mired in the Dark Ages'. 'Clearly Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are afraid the answers they would get from 100 ordinary people would force them to challenge the Catholic Church, something they remain determined to avoid,' he said. Mr Murphy said he would introduce a bill in the next Dail term that would repeal laws that allow for teachers to be discriminated against on the basis of their religious or secular beliefs. 'The Catholic Church runs nine out of 10 primary schools in this state. This means that non-Catholic primary school teachers are discriminated against in job applications, forced to obtain qualifications in teaching a religion they don't believe in, and then are forced to teach that religion. 'They are also exposed to an ever-present risk of discrimination, and even of losing their jobs, because of their beliefs. 'It is ludicrous that in this day and age, teachers can still be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs.' The survey was published to coincide with the INTO annual conference being held this week in Galway.
BreakingNews.ie
23-04-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Government urged to act as survey shows teachers want schools to be more secular
Opposition politicians have called on the Government to act on a survey that found teachers believe schools should be more secular. The survey, issued by Civica to members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), found that just 4 per cent of teachers think preparing students for sacraments should be the responsibility of primary schools. Advertisement The research, carried out on behalf of the largest teachers' union on the island, representing 45,000 primary school teachers in the Republic, indicated that 47 per cent believe the family should take responsibility, while 30 per cent said it should be the parish. The 34-question survey collected data online from 1,049 respondents from January 8 to 17. The vast majority (88 percent) said they taught in Catholic schools, 5 per cent in Educate Together, and 4 per cent in Church of Ireland schools. A large majority (83 percent) said children in all schools should be taught about other religions, with just 9 per cent saying they should not. Advertisement 63 per cent said primary school education should have secular patrons, while 37 per cent said they should be religious. A slight majority (57 per cent) said faith formation should not take place in schools, while 43 per cent said it should. Asked whether religion should be taught in schools by the class teacher, 46 per cent said no and 39 per cent said yes. The Social Democrats and People Before Profit called for the Government to take action given the findings. Advertisement Social Democrats TD Jen Cummins said the survey confirms 'widespread support among primary school teachers for a reduced role of religion in our classrooms'. 'The results reflect a growing consensus in Irish society that our education system must evolve to reflect the diversity of modern Ireland,' the party's education spokeswoman said. 'It is therefore not surprising that the INTO survey found that most primary teachers want secular patrons for schools and believe faith formation should no longer take place in the classroom.' Ms Cummins said the last programme for government committed to delivering 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030, but this was 'highly unlikely' to be achieved. Advertisement She also expressed concern that a proposal for a citizens' assembly on education appears to have been 'watered down' to a national convention on education. Then-taoiseach Simon Harris said in July that the Government had 'not yet' considered the question of establishing a citizens' assembly on education. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said Ireland's education system remains 'mired in the Dark Ages'. Paul Murphy (Niall Carson/PA) 'Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are afraid the answers they would get from 100 ordinary people would force them to challenge the Catholic Church, something they remain determined to avoid,' he said. Advertisement Mr Murphy said he would introduce a bill in the next Dáil term that would repeal laws that allow for teachers to be discriminated against on the basis of their religious or secular beliefs. 'The Catholic Church runs nine out of 10 primary schools in this state. This means that non-Catholic primary school teachers are discriminated against in job applications, forced to obtain qualifications in teaching a religion they don't believe in, and then are forced to teach that religion. Business Medical device company opens new facility in Galwa... Read More 'They are also exposed to an ever-present risk of discrimination, and even of losing their jobs, because of their beliefs. 'It is ludicrous that in this day and age, teachers can still be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs.' The survey was published to coincide with the INTO annual conference being held this week in Galway.
