Frontline teachers must be supported if Ireland’s underperforming maths education is to improve

Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has called on Education Minister Mary Coughlan TD to address Ireland’s underperforming standards in maths education. In the last few weeks Ireland’s underperformance in the maths education has been highlighted by two reports, one international and one from the Department of Education. The findings of the international PISA [...]

Fri17Dec2010

Law Reform Commission Report demands radical reform of insolvency law

Economy, Innovation and Research

Comment Now »

Fine Gael Spokesperson on Innovation & Research Deirdre Clune TD has welcomed the recommendations for reform contained in the Law Reform Commission’s Personal Debt Management and Debt Enforcement Report. Deputy Clune has urged the Government to respond to the report by reforming our outdated insolvency laws without any further delay. I agree with the Law [...]

Thu16Dec2010

Broadband in Primary Schools – Priority Question to the Minister for Education

Education, Innovation and Research

Comment Now »

Click here for my view of the Government’s record on providing ICT & High Speed Broadband to schools. Click here to view the full video clip of my Question to the Minister for Education regarding the Broadband & ICT in schools and the reply from Minister of State Mary White TD. My Priority Parliamentary Question [...]

Thu11Nov2010

Govt failing to provide ICT and high-speed broadband to schools

Education, Innovation and Research

Comment Now »

With Science Week currently underway, Fine Gael Innovation & Research Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has raised the Government’s failure to invest in information and communication technology (ICT) and provide high speed broadband to Irish schools. The Government’s record on improving the quality of ICT and broadband to schools has been nothing short of abysmal. Just [...]

Thu11Nov2010

100,000 unemployed graduates – 2,000 Govt training places Minister must ramp up initiatives to tackle graduate unemployment

Enterprise, Innovation and Research

1 Comment »

Fine Gael Innovation & Research Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has challenged Enterprise Minister Batt O’Keeffe TD to ‘ramp up’ the Government’s initiatives to tackle graduate unemployment. Minister O’Keeffe claims the Government has been pro-active in addressing the growing problem of graduate unemployment – but the reality is totally different. The Government has a target of [...]

Mon18Oct2010

Bonus Points for Leaving Cert Maths – Priority Question to Minister for Education

Education, Innovation and Research

Comment Now »

Click here to view the video clip of my Question to the Minister for Education regarding the Introduction of Bonus Points for Leaving Cert Maths and the reply from Minister of State Conor Lenihan TD, Minister for Science, Technology & Innovation. My Priority Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Education & Skills was: To ask [...]

Mon4Oct2010

Govt squandering potential of junior cert maths boost

Education, Innovation and Research

Comment Now »

Fine Gael Innovation & Research Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has warned that the Government is squandering a vital opportunity to capitalise on the high uptake of maths and science subjects in the Junior Cert. These results offer signs of hope for the future, but only if the Government seizes the potential now. Over 88% of [...]

Wed15Sep2010

Overhaul of bankruptcy law needed as 38,000 businesses at high risk of failure

Economy, Innovation and Research

Comment Now »

Fine Gael Frontbench Spokesperson on Innovation and Research, Deirdre Clune TD, has called for a complete overhaul of Ireland’s bankruptcy laws to promote greater entrepreneurial activity, saying the Government’s latest intervention in the area is underwhelming. Ireland needs to develop an entirely new system of bankruptcy laws more in line with our European neighbours if [...]

Thu2Sep2010