Batt gambles on public support

TEACHER'S PET: Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe was still talking tough during last week's meeting with various education groups over the Budget cutbacks.

No quarter was given to the teaching unions, school managers and the rest as Batt relayed the full extent of the nation's economic woes.

There is increasing confidence within the department that the storm of protest over the education cuts is beginning to blow itself out. Yes, the INTO's campaign of public protests is continuing but few in the union seem confident of reversing that decision to increase class sizes.

Over the coming weeks, the Minister's message to the teachers will be that they should be grateful for their secure jobs at this time of national economic crisis. He will probably roll out figures about the high cost of the teacher substitution regime and the alleged abuse of uncertified sick leave.

Batt's mantra is that the world did not fall in before the education cuts. Teachers delivered a great service in larger classes and they were happy to substitute for each other in a spirit of solidarity.

Teachers, he will say, need to get a grip and be more realistic. He also hopes to tap into a public mood which appears increasingly hostile to the public service.

Batt may have been labelled as the "Grandpa Simpson of Irish politics" by Fine Gael, but he is gambling he can rely on the sympathy of the public - if and when schools have to close because of the substitution cutbacks in January.

All of this could change, of course, if Batt waters down the substitution provision just before Christmas. Some school managers and others believe a deal will be worked out during the dark December days.

But Batt is building a political reputation on his steely resolve. Batt is not for turning - is he?

Warmest congratulations to Danny O'Hare, former president of DCU, who received a honorary doctorate from the university last week.

The words of DCU president Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski bear repetition: "Using very scarce resources, he turned a small educational start-up in north Dublin into a world-class university in the space of only two decades . . . his legacy can be seen . . .throughout the Irish higher education sector."