Tag Archives: news

Our Appalling Treatment of Ukrainian Refugees (IDPs)

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Shortly after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia a flood of refugees (Internationally Displaced Persons) sought shelter across Europe.

At the time Ireland did all it could to help. Very quickly people were taken in at airports, PPS numbers were issued, and emergency accommodation was sorted. It was a moment of which I am proud.

Over the next few weeks and months we all realised that this war would take much longer than predicted, so our new Ukrainian neighbours began to integrate more into Irish society. They joined our schools, many started trying to learn the language, many more sought work and opened their own businesses locally.

In short, the Céad Mile Fáilte came into play.

As there is now a sense that the war is coming to an end, a number of Ukrainian families have made the decision to return home.

Some of those who have been lucky enough to find employment have found their own accommodation outside of the centres. A hugely positive move for those who could manage it. In the centres your space is not your own, and your privacy is limited. This option is not available to many due to the accommodation shortage across Ireland.

However the circumstances developed, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has recently issued what are effectively hundreds of eviction letters to families and children across the country.

The letter is utterly devoid of compassion or humanity. The word ‘regret’ is used once, but only in relation to pets. The letter has caused an incredible amount of grief, stress and upset among those who have been unfortunate enough to receive it.

When the war began we took in traumatised people. We took in people who fled before the horrors of Bucha, we took in those who had lost their homes, we took in those who had lost family members.

We then talked about trauma informed practice, and, in schools at least, tried to keep this in mind when integrating our new students.

And now a department that is responsible for both children and integration is hurting children and undermining the integration that has been achieved. We are taking traumatised children, and retraumatising them

The letter provides the rationale that “the Department is consolidating its accommodation portfolio”. Two points here. The language in use is far beyond many of those who received the letter. Second, the department appears to be more concerned with a property portfolio than with the human beings under its supposed care.

The letter then gives a very tight timeline as to when these moves will happen.

In Youghal the residents at the Quality Hotel have been given about 2 or 3 weeks.

In Victoria Cross in Cork residents have been instructed to be available on 4th and 5th March between 10AM and 6PM with their documents. Failure to turn up will be seen as meaning that they are no longer interested in State Provided Accommodation.

Even better? They are then remined that they will be moved to temporary accommodation. In other words, don’t get too comfortable.

The damage this is doing to students is horrific. I know students who are preparing for State Exams and they don’t know where they will sit the exams. They do not even know if the town/city they are moved to will have a secondary school with the same option subjects. So they could end up not being able to complete their studies that they began 1.5 years ago for that option.

By moving students in the middle of the school year their studies are negatively affected. Even if they move quickly to a new school, the curriculum will have been covered in a different manner, different teachers have different styles, and the supports that a student benefited from are not immediately present.

The timing of this is very suspect. The Dail is currently not in session, so no TDs can make a minister answer questions in session. Was this deliberate, I wonder?

The letter appears to be unsigned – so who even is responsible for this decision?

The whole manner in which this has been done feels underhand. Again, the Department, in this action, is hurting children and undermining integration. All for the exercise of consolidating a portfolio.

There is now a series of articles being written, and more awareness about this issue. I really, really hope that something can be done to reverse this decision.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41555347.html
Cork School Principal devestated
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/01/14/were-very-afraid-ukrainian-refugees-in-limerick-given-48-hours-notice-of-being-moved/
https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2025/0115/1491035-ukrainian-women-children-move-cork-hotel/

My problem with Junior Cycle Assessment

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“You’re about to enter into the best in-service training you will ever get”

Those were the words spoken to a group of us in Athlone around June 2005 as we started our training to correct that year’s Junior Cert Religion papers.

That year I was involved in correcting Ordinary Level Religion. And what an experience it was. Just about every teacher will, at some stage, correct papers for the state exams.

The process is, frankly, impressive. Old as I am, this was in the paper days. Attend the marking conference, and then drive to the department to pick up your bundle of papers. The sheer volume of papers that you would receive was a bit of a shock to the system. No on-screen marking for us!

The following two years I corrected Higher Level Religion.

A few things struck me around the fairness of the system, and the opportunities offered to students of differing abilities:

  • There was a clear difference between Higher and Ordinary Level Papers
  • Questions were qualitatively different. At Ordinary Level more weighting was given to short answers so as to allow candidates an opportunity to do well
  • Higher Level tended towards more in-depth questioning
  • The language used in each paper had enough variation to suit the candidates taking that paper

The great thing about this system was that it allowed any student to do well and receive a grade that reflected their ability and effort.

An outstanding student could have a chance of achieving an ‘A’ (remember those?), while a student with challenges could have a decent chance to pass an ordinary level paper. There was plenty of graduation built into the system.

In 2012, 27,913 students took Higher Level Maths. Of these about 15% were awarded an A grade. (Source: https://www.thejournal.ie/junior-cert-results-591703-Sep2012/ )

In 2024, across 25 subjects the average number of students achieving a Distinction was 4%. (source: https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2024/10/09/junior-cycle-results-out-today-as-percentage-scoring-highest-mark-falls-in-most-subjects/ )

I have a few problems with the Junior Cycle. The biggest problem I have is with assessment. While we still have differentiated papers for English, Irish and Maths, we have common papers in other subjects.

If the Department is so convinced that common papers are the way to go, then why have differentiated papers for these three core subjects?

Next, if we could have had such a gap of ability and results in 2012, how is it possible to give a fair assessment to a range of students on a common paper.

Finally, how is it possible that in 2012 15% of Higher Level students were able to get an A, but approximately 4% of students can now hope to achieve a distinction? This grade deflation is demoralising to those who have worked and who deserve to see their hard work rewarded.

I’m against the new Junior Cycle grading. I feel it’s fundamentally unfair to students (who don’t even like the nomenclature that goes with it). Unfortunately, as it is so new, I feel it will now be a very long time before any substantial change happens.

But before then, please have a look at the grading metrics, and allow those students who deserve a distinction, to receive that which they have worked for. 4% is not a fair breakdown in this case.