`We can afford to invest more in education'

The first high point of her time in office was the convention in Dublin Castle, remembers Niamh Bhreatnach. "Arriving that morning and meeting people who left Donegal at 5 a.m. to come down . . . people came from all over Ireland and there was a sense of excitement, meeting people, and walking in to the fantastic hall in Dublin Castle.

"My theme was partnership. Everybody was included from bishops to teachers to parents." It began with a "wonderful" presentation from Ann Colgan on behalf of the parents and ended with an equally memorable presentation from USI.

On teacher union conferences, "I always loved the morning when I went into Drumcondra and was greeted as Gaeilge by Sister Mary Collins - she challenged me in the way teachers should and I rose to it."

Then, there was the White Paper. "I still think it makes a wonderful read." Bhreatnach also enjoyed the legislative work. "I signed off the university legislation after I was defeated in the polls." This was one of last public occasions. "A great occasion, a sad occasion," she recalls.

"Overall, what I found depressing was the was the number of little communities in and around Ireland who felt that if they didn't get to the Minister they wouldn't get what they were entitled to."

The removal of the regional boards from the Education Bill was "a major disappointment," says Bhreatnach. "The OECD has been very critical of the centralisation of the education system here," she adds. She regrets that the ASTI decided the country couldn't afford the bureaucracy - "I think we can afford to invest more in education. It doesn't always have to be about teachers' pay."

Bhreatnach sums up being Minister for Education as "a great experience, very hard work. I miss the hard work."