Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT Shane Ross has insisted that he did not interfere in the process of a private school in his constituency receiving a €150,000 sports grant.
Ross was widely criticised after announcing the funding for the resurfacing of the hockey pitch at Wesley College on Twitter.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke he said, “I never made a representation to any official”.
Ross said the application by Wesley College was scored by department officials and that he signed off on the decision without observations or comment.
I had absolutely nothing to do with it whatsoever, bar signing off.
He added that the application was initially refused and that he had also signed off on that. However, the school later appealed and was awarded the grant.
Asked if the tweet was an error of judgement, he said, “Yea I think it probably was but I’ve sent some irresponsible tweets around from time to time.
“I was just very pleased and I’ve said it about other clubs as well but it was in my constituency so I was delighted.”
School sports grants
Principal at St Dominic’s College in Ballyfermot Mary Daly told Sean O’Rourke that her school’s sports hall has 14 leaks in the roof and that the joints under the floor are rotten.
Daly said it was going to be difficult to encourage young girls to participate in sport when their shower facilities are unavailable and that their changing facilities are inadequate.
Chairman of the Board of Tallaght Community School Mick Duff also spoke about having applied many times for funding for a small all weather pitch – and having to pay fees each time – including planning permission and architect costs.
Ross said he will be reviewing the process but added that the current system should not be discredited.
Don’t discredit the system. This system is including and weighted towards the disadvantaged, it’s getting people who would never play sports into the sports area.
He said the system needs to be “a little less rigid and a bit more communicative”, adding that a lot of applications are declared invalid and “it’s a bit brutal”.
“There used to be too many ‘invalids’ because the application process was too complicated. It was 14 pages long, we’ve got it down to six. We’ve got the ‘invalids’ down from 50% at one point – down to 20%.”
He added that he was doing a total review of this year so it can be reformed for next year if needed.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
A nod is as good as a wink
@Benjamin Dolan: to a blind horse !
@Benjamin Dolan: this school agreed to reduce the seriously high levels of traffic it brings to the area in order to get this grant. Hundreds of cars drop off their snobby spoilt kids causing traffic jams around the area at the start and end of school day. It takes way longer to get from Dundrum to the m50 at 4 o clock then it does at rush hour times after 5 and it’s mainly caused by this school. And rather than follow these stipulations by actually reducing the amount of cars doing drop offs they instructed parents to go through the small estate behind the school and literally sneak in the back door rather than use their main entrances.
Wesley college takes in probably close to a million euro every year in student fees yet they scheme their way to take grants from the government for their many pitches (2 full size and 2 six a side astro pitches plus numerous grass pitches for the rugby).
Meanwhile the local public schools organise cake sales, bag packing and general charity events just to keep their school ticking over.
Plus Wesley college has a few extra acres of land they put up for sale before the crash, worth millions. I’d say their principle and board members have big pockets….
@John Doe: correction 4 six a side not 2.
@John Doe: It also saves taxpayers millions a year by taking 1,000 kids out of the public system as do all other private schools.
That doesn’t suit your agenda though.
@joe: how does it save taxpayers millions? Do you think st benildus or Ballinteer community school get millions from the government?
@joe: are you unable to back up your statement that Wesley college saves the government millions (plural) a year by taking 1000 kids put of the public system. By your estimate even if we called “millions” as 2 million; you reckon public schools get €2,000 per child per year off the government.
There must be an awful smell in the air each time you open your mouth.
@John Doe: How do you know the kids are snobby and/or spoilt. Where are the facts to back this up or are you making generalizations
@John Doe: One question for you. Do these Fee paying schools pay taxes on the income they get?
@John Doe: They don’t take kids out of the public system at all.. They’re still funded by the DoE and topped up by parents. I’ve friends from Germany who send their kids to a full fee paying school. The costs are absolutely astronomical. I’m talking 50k+ a year… and that’s before you get into the bits and bobs required for such an education… The international schools in Phnom Penh cost 14k a year for day courses alone and that’s in a third world country…
@John Doe: Leo would be very familiar with the likes of this school with its snobby parents and kids. Why would this school be in recept of any grant if they are then they should not in any shape or form.
@Dinosaur Senior: calling their kids (Or anybody for that matter) snobby and/Or spoilt is more of an opinion so can only be backed up with the facts that led me to that opinion. Boys and girls in their mid to late teens needing their mommy or daddy to drop them to and collect them from school everyday would suggest to me that they are spoilt. Getting out of their mom’s 18 d landrover or Mercedes and saying goodbye in a posh d4 accent might suggest they’re snobby.
But as I said that part are my opinions and I have to right to express them without having to prove that’s what I think.
@Dinosaur Senior: Shane Ross is an absolute bell end who would do and say anything necessary to further his own career.
Do I need to explain opinion v fact again?
If I said he earned €500,000 last year, that’s not an opinion and should require back up.
@Mick Jordan: your question has absolutely no significance regarding anything I’ve said whatever the answer so I hope you don’t mind if I presume you’re an idíot and just completely ignore you from now on.
@John Doe: well lets Well, lets say that at the maximum pupil teacher ratio of 35 pupils per teacher, 1000 pupils need 28.5 teachers. Round this to 30 as they will need more than this as all classes won’t have the take up for 35 teachers per pupil. Multiply this by a modest average salary of €45,000 p.a and you get to €1.285m. This is before you count admin staff, overheads such as equipment, light, heat, maintenance and insurance. I reckon this could easily mount up to much more than €2m per year. Apologies for my late response I have a job. It might be something you want to consider!
@John Doe: Actually it does. If they are paying taxes into the exchequer they are not costing the public purse. You claimed they are.
@John Doe: Sorry I also forgot the cost of building a new school to accommodate these pupils, the land, buildings etc. or would they just be schooled outside? The chip on your shoulder is unbelievable and the smell of begrudgery off you is rotten!
@John Doe: So what are the facts you quote that led you to that opinion. Surely it’s not just an accent and a car reg
@John Doe: You sound like the consummate begrudger. Imagine taking a pop at some kids because their parents succeeded in life. Weak, immature and curmudgeonly.
@joe: well Joe, lets well as you say. The department of education pay the teachers salaries for both private and public schools. I presumed you knew that when you suggested private schools are saving millions that would go to public schools to educate these kids.
Do I need to explain this further or do you now realise how stúpid your comments are?
And btw, many congratulations on being employed. It must be very hard for ppl with low level intelligence to find work so kudos to you. I’m gonna give up working and apply for a grant of €150,000 to do up my house. That ok with you??
@Mick Jordan: please show me anywhere that I claimed Wesley college were costing the public purse? Apart from getting this €150,000 grant that the article is about of course..
The more taxes they pay, the more money they are making, the less deserved they are of this €150,000
@John Doe: Your words “Wesley college takes in probably close to a million euro every year in student fees yet they scheme their way to take grants from the government” ergo costing the public purse.
Yet the money they pay in taxes far out cedes what they have gotten back in this grant.
@Honeybadger197: the bankers who almost brought this country to its knees succeeded in life according to your evaluation . having a €50k car and putting your kids in private school does not represent a successful life in my opinion. Referring to their kids as snobby was unnecessary, but the spoilt part is more of an accusation at the parents.
There are 2 secondary schools in Ballinteer, both with between 500 and 1000 students. BCS students manage to get to school without causing traffic gridlock around the entrance, and they fund the building and resurfacing of their astro pitch by sharing it with local GAA club st John’s.
Whereas Wesley college having agreed to reduce the number of cars by encouraging car pooling, public transport, cycling and walking in the terms of obtaining one of their grants. Yet instead of doing this they have instructed parents to sneak them in the back gate instead of using the main entrances, which if anything makes the local traffic worse.
@Mick Jordan: does saying ergo completely change a statement. They are getting grants off the government, that’s a fact. I didn’t suggest in anyway that they were costing the public purse anything else.
@joe: What are you talking about? state still pay the teachers salaries etc nonsense
@Vigo the Carpathian: 20k us a year is the standard price of good int schools. I know I have worked in a few of them.
Usually its an embassy /ngo/ big multinationals that foot that bill.
@joe: Clerical and janitorial staff are covered by the department too I’m afraid…
@John Doe: Apologies, I forgot that! Still looks like it’s around €1m based on dept of education numbers €7m according to PWC, so it’s probably somewhere in the middle
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/report-commissioned-by-private-schools-claims-they-save-taxpayer-money-1.1358923
Don’t forget the new school /extension to existing schools that would have to be built to accommodate these pupils!
Typical govt response, lets make the public believe that this is normal and spin it so as it looks like these middle/upper class fee paying schools deserve such huge grants as opposed to schools in working class areas that don’t even have a gym. Leo has used our money to set up a disastrous spin dept and this is the best explanation they can muster???
You can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
@joe: our Constitution says everyone is equal. This decision is unfair because this private school should receive no grants until every other public school has some form of decent facilities.. but fairness doesn’t suit your agenda
@joe: A quick search tells me this:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/funding-private-schools-1.1318755
teachers in private schools are paid by the state – they are likely receiving more state funding than public schools. Add to this the grants received in this story and they are not only costing the taxpayer, but disadvantaging the education of the children of most of those taxpayers.
@Michael Wall: and on top of all that;
The hockey pitch that this particular grant of €150,000 is paying to resurface gets rented out to local soccer teams for €100 per hour.
@joe: the teachers at private schools are paid by the Dept of Education so you need to redo some of your sums.
So he just announced it so he could get the credit for it… so much for him not being like the political classes, he should just have joined Fine Gael
@Jayo Breathneach: I always hope that ministers act more like Chairmen of their Departments and not CEO’s because in almost all cases they don’t have the experience or aptitude to run a large organization. That said, 100% of the time they do like it to be perceived as the other way round
@Snotser Galligan: We shouldn’t have such poor quality people in positions of power. Instead of incompetence and irresponsibility being excuses for poor performance, they should be grounds for termination if he doesn’t have the integrity to resign. Your acceptance of incompetence means the rest of us have to put up with the government you deserve. We should only be voting in capable people so do the rest of us a favour, next time a politician canvases you for your vote, ask them for their CV.
Lies
@John Cotter: Absolute liar. He was quick to brag about it where well heeled private schools in his area got huge grants.
@John Cotter: So, any area of Ireland that has an elected representative should be neglected. So where does that leave. Nuts.
@Tom Molloy: ???
@Joe Phillips: An area that desperately needs a new school or medical centre lives in fear of its local politition being made minister for health or education as the fear of the Fake Media accusing them of corruption would stop them from solving the problem.
@Tom Molloy: You mean someone along the lines of Michael (Hep C) Noonan in Limerick?
Why was the article suddenly edited to remove the list of facilities already available at Wesley College..”…four rugby pitches,two cricket pitches, two astro-turf hockey pitches, two out door basketball courts, a soccer pitch and a sports hall” .. Are Wesley College forming part of an , as yet unannounced Irish bid to host the Olympics or something ?
@Vigo the Carpathian: So what? If they had an Olympic sized swimming pool what matter. They are entitled to apply for a grant just as any one else. They applied and after the first rejection successfully appealed and was awarded the grant. It’s a non story.
@Mick Jordan: Entitlements, enshitlements.
@Mick Jordan: It’s the sports club that uses the facilities that also got the grant. Like thousands of other sports clubs from GAA to Martial Arts. It’s a complete non-story.
@Mick Jordan: Such a non story that it’s hitting all the major news outlets ? Oh don’t worry though Mick.. I’m sure phone calls are being made as we speak to have this story buried….
@Vigo the Carpathian: Because the likes of SF are trying to make something put of nothing.
@Mick Jordan: Yes Mick.. SF control all the major news outlets.. The Irish Times was first on their list I believe…
@Vigo the Carpathian: Did I say that? This story is like a ball of candy floss. Looks big and impressive until you bite into it, and there is nothing but a tiny bit of sugar left in your mouth.
@Mick Jordan: quick look over there it’s Sinn Fein
@Mick Jordan: Really you believe this you have no moral qualms about shelling out hundreds of thousands of euro;s to a private school while thousands of schools in dire need – truly bizarre moral compass
@Austin Rock: None whats so ever. If I could afford to send my kids to one of these schools I would do it in a heartbeat. If I could afford an Aston Martin or a Bugatti I would buy one too. Should I have moral qualms about that too? I don’t begrudge those that can.
@Mick Jordan: so why should they get a grant if they don’t need it as much as other schools around the country? Off the ball had a good piece on it last night, have a listen. It’s a disgrace what’s going on with these grants.
@Mick Jordan: Public money shouldn’t be going to fee-paying schools, that already have an abundance of facilities and that they don’t share unless you get your chequebook out.
and he’ll top the poll at the next election. feck the country, as long as his constituents are happy &have a shiny new Garda station along side the sports pitch
@Dean Anderson: I live in his constituency Dean and I won’t be voting for him along with many other people I know. This type of cronyism sickens me.
Having said that, there’s no point in blaming Shane Ross for the type of politician he is because most Irish people continue to vote for someone on local grounds rather than national grounds. Look at the Healy Raes, Michael Lowry, mick Wallace etc. The people are the biggest problem not the politicians. The politicians are the output of what we put in as an electorate and enough people don’t seem to want to change that.
@Jayo Breathneach: dead right, lads. Good points. We’ll never get that system though because that would work in the favour of the people, rather than the politicians.
It’s a terrible paradox that the corrupt and incompetent losers we complain about are the same people who write the rules
Some anonymous well heeled civil servant made the decision so?
Funny ,he had nothing to do with transport strikes either ,so why do we need him them
@Aidan Martin: Ah now… he was quick enough to get on a plane to Rio when a certain unnameable bud of his was in trouble and that’s all that matters….
@Vigo the Carpathian: true enough
@Aidan Martin: Jesus if they were so bloody quick to shift their holes on other matters….
It’s a pity, I used to hold this man in high regard but even the sight of him turns my stomach these days. A man who goes in on an Anti-government ticket and sells his soul within 35 seconds of receiving his ministry. A complete buffoon. I hope he loses miserably in the next election.
@Bingobango: He’s one of those guys more suited to the opposition benches isn’t he..
@Bingobango: why did you hold him in high regard? He’s always been a self serving spoofer. Well, serving himself and his then boss Sir AJF O’Reilly… Look at his Wikipedia page for more daftness
@Goban Saor: I held him in high regard because the country needs opposition, someone to keep the government of the day in check, asking questions, exposing wrongdoing. I thought he was that man but he was obviously just a mouthpiece who has shown his true colours as a batsman for the rich boys club. A slithering snake. Every time there is a sporting event he is front and centre and then when we win something he gets his ugly mush in every photo possible as if he won the thing himself. Where is he when it comes to transport? Not a peep out of him about the Luas debacle or any other transport related issue. He’s a gombeen.
@Bingobango: He won’t unfortunately since he has looked after his constituents to the detriment of the rest of the country and I very much doubt his constituents care beyond themselves, as is how politics works in this country.
@Bingobango: Completely agree with you.
If people really cared, they’d be protesting outside the Dail. The Irish people are completely apathetic when it comes to corrupt politicians. I mean, Where else in the civilized world would Mick Wallace still be a member of Parliament?
@Rodrigodetriano: whats this got to do with mick , !!!. I think you may have missed the point, completly.
@Rodrigodetriano: Mick Wallace was democratically elected.
@Jack O’neill: Mick Wallace is a million times more respectable than Shane Ross.
Mick Wallace and Clare Daly are real politicians. Shane Ross is a weasel who tried to take credit for something, saw the backlash, then admitted he doesn’t even read what he signs off on.
@Jack O’neill: so was Shane Ross, what’s your point?
@Joe Phillips: Is this the same Mick Wallace who defrauded the state of VAT and also failed to pass on pension contributions of his employees. Yes what a great bloke he is. Only in Ireland would you get people like that as politicians, but then Im sure you csn regale me with some parochial cr*p he’s done for the people of Wexford and so we continue on the same path
@kevin: yes, Kevin, the very same. Even despite those incidents, I hold Mick in far higher regard than Shane. Granted, it’s not that high, but Shane Ross is considerably lower.
@kevin: I have no interest in parochial crap. I liked his Shannon airport protest though and all the times I’ve seen him callin’ out bullsh!t in the Dáil. I also like that so many suits in there think they’re so much better than he is simply because they wear suits. Enda Kenny always wore a suit and look at how respectable he was. Man never answered a question in his record-breakingly self-serving political career.
@Joe Phillips: Mick Wallace isn’t a tit because he doesn’t wear a suit.
He’s a tit because he knowingly defrauded the State and every taxpayer in it. Hardly a poster boy for fighting corrupt elements of the government now, is he?
@ihcalaM: I’ll accept that, Malachi. Fair enough. I still think Shane Ross is much, much worse though
He’s excelled himself this time. Putting a statement actively denying that he has achieved anything.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: Oh thanks for the laugh… :-)
Listening to the radio last night I heard that the system is very slanted in favour of wealthier clubs and such at the very least. There is a percentage that the club’s have to come up with themselves before they are approved and poorer clubs and such can’t come up with that part. There are clubs and schools all over the course try with kids changing on sidelines with no cover. No changing facilities and poor pitches. Schools and there are many of them don’t even have a PE hall let alone pitches.
Chuckle, Leo was only Joking too ;-)
I didn’t go to a fancy school but I’m not think enough to believe he had no “influence” on this decision
@Keith Grant: *thick enough…that’s an embarrassing typo
@Keith Grant: Well, he certainly doesn’t think enough, if at all…
Absolute disgrace and shameful behaviour from the once bastion against all things Dodgy. Seems power has corrupted Mr Ross, wasn’t it him who coined the expression “Stroke Politics”
Belvedere and clongowes be lookin for a few quid next
Backtracking now he’s been outed
Shane Ross. Anything that is a problem within his department is out of his hands it seems, he is fully concerned about other departments on a regular basis. He’s a joke
I don’t see what the problem is. If the money is available and the correct procedures are followed and the criteria is met to get it, then who ever applies to get it, should get it. It doesn’t matter if it’s Old Wesley or a School in Darndale.
Did those schools the SF TD is talking about even apply for the Grant? Because if they haven’t him complaing about another school that did and was successful is just show boating.
@Mick Jordan: Apparently the aspiration system favours the private wealthier clubs and schools so it’s not as simple as you are saying
@Catherine Sims: This is the list of those who were and weren’t successful in attaining the grants.
https://www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie
Can you pick out where it shows a particular bias?
@Mick Jordan: Because they’re probably interested in sorting out more pressing matters like leaking roofs or mice and rats chewing their way into classrooms through rotting prefab floors… You know minor things… not the big issues like getting a grant to resurface their hockey pitches..
@Vigo the Carpathian: If you don’t apply you don’t get, it’s that simple.
If I buy a lottery ticket and win but you don’t buy one, what have you to complain about me winning.
@Mick Jordan: You can’t apply unless you have a percentage of the cost of the total project. Poorer groups can’t come up with that and can’t even apply. They are cut out before the process even begins
@Catherine Sims: It all depends on what they are looking to do. If they are seeking a grant of €1 million or one of €5 thousand.
@Catherine Sims: A Government Grant is there to assist you to pay for a project, not to pay for the entire project. Let’s say you were installing Solar Panels on your house. And you applied for and got the subsequent grant. Would expect the grant to cover the entire cost or a % of it? This scheme is no different.
@Mick Jordan: There’s no getting past the fact then that this system is only for wealthier areas clubs and schools so.
@Catherine Sims: Like I said Catherine its no different to any other grant. You get a percentage of what the total cost is. Otherwise you would be getting everything for free from the Government. Do you really want to pay taxes that high?
@Mick Jordan: Appreciate the link there about 90% I reckon are more worthy
@Austin Rock: But have the 90% actually applied? If you don’t look for it you can hardly expect to get it.
@Mick Jordan: That’s not the way I see it. I think clubs even looking for full grants would probably be looking for less 150k. In fact 150k could potentially cover the costs of full improvements for more than one poorer club. The system as it is stinks. It’s have money and you will get money.
@Mick Jordan: http://www.offtheball.com/podcasts/
Have a listen back Mick, you seem like a person who likes to do some research so have a go here. Unless you’re of the elitist class that sees nothing wrong with this?
Ross would make a very good second hand car salesman.
@Vincent Sharpe: I wouldn’t buy a bell for my bicycle off him.
How could it have scored highly when one of the core criteria for funding is being located in a disadvantaged area?
Not really the topic but fee paying schools shouldn’t get any public money. Oh and although Shane Ross is doing what the majority of politicians do it is more irksome as in opposition he was so sanctimonious.
The minister of schmooz and non-culpability.
No surprise it’s a hockey school and not a hurling one. Mr. Ross went to private school in England. No appetite for DUP shenanigans here, m’lord.
So many clueless people that have no idea about this as nobody is reporting the context to this story, have a look at the full list of approved and rejected applications to get a real idea of how this works instead of the medias cherry picked ones http://www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie
@Ian McNally: There was a review of the system done by two independent academics and they found the systems us flawed and slanted in favour of wealthier clubs and private schools. There was great coverage on News talk if this last night.
@Catherine Sims: indeed and that should be the story not the ridiculous cherry picking of one school that happens to be in the ministers constituency
@Ian McNally: To be honest I dont think he was involved because he didn’t even need to get involved.
@Catherine Sims: Completely agree
@Ian McNally: The only reason this became a story is because of Shane Ross and his idiotic tweet which came across as a boast. If he hadn’t tweeted few would have noticed and the system would probably not be being discussed at all. So while I do agree that this is not really the issue, at least it gets people talking.
How is this money going to be taken back from the appalling Wesley College.
It is utterly unacceptable that they get this grant.
How is it to be returned and by what date.
Otherwise Shane Ross needs to resign and face a criminal investigation for theft of taxpayer funds.
Shane is a good fine gaeler,good man shane with the nod and wink politics he so often criticised when in opposition.
From what I have read in most of the comments so far is typical Irish Begrugery. It’s a fee paying school so what?
They applied for it and got it. It’s no different to a rich man winning the lottery with a €2 ticket. The same begrugery would be heard. “Him with all his money winning the lottery, it’s not right”.
@Mick Jordan: Because so many more viable sounding causes were rejected and this grant has a long history of going to services in constituencies of the serving sports and junior sports ministers.
It’s a serious problem that funds continue to be distributed on the basis of securing votes rather than where they are of most benefit.
@Rochelle: There is a link above that shows who was successful and who wasn’t. Have a look at it and point out where there is bias been given in favour of one group or constituency over another. And then please come back and point it out.
@Mick Jordan: I begrudge them because I have seen the several dilated, freezing, damp prefabs in which my wife has had to teach taxpayers’ children over the past decade.
@Neal Ireland Hello.: I’d thought those days were long gone until I spoke to teachers… It’s not changed much in the 30 something years since I was at school… Well maybe the teachers are less willing to accept it now but that’s about it.. One teacher told me about mould in a classroom being so bad that kids with no history of asthma were coming down with respiratory issues.. It’s the 21st century for fecks sake…
@Neal Ireland Hello.: Is that their fault? If you had a chance to work in or even send your kids to one of these schools would you refuse?
If I had the wealth to send my kids to a private school, with all its amenities and small class sizes I would do it in a heartbeat as would the vast majority here.
These Schools are providing a service to those that can afford it just as another business does. And if a Grant is available to anyone that applies and meets the criteria then good luck to them.
@Mick Jordan: Several examples were given on a feature from Newstalk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fatXBYFdaoo) which included analysis on the correlation between minister constituency down through the years and where funding went along with contributors from places around the country such as a Basketball arena in Cork without a functioning roof or a tennis court in Roscommon and a soccer club in Kildare which were successful but “awarded” meagre sums under €500.
It’s quite obvious from what they all say there are issues in transparency over their scoring system and their appeals process.
@Rochelle: Here is the Link.
http://www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie
Take you your pick.
@Mick Jordan: If they want to send their kids to private schools I’ve absolutely no problem with it… Wesley isn’t exactly private though is it… They’re happy to have their teachers paid for by the state and expensive sports facilities partially funded by the taxpayers … Most of the parents sending their kids there couldn’t afford an actual fully private school in a million years… and there’s a pretty good chance that if they could their kids wouldn’t fit the criteria for one in the first place.. They’re playing “keeping up with the Joneses” at the taxpayers expense for an education that’s no more of a guarantee to entry to a top 50 world class college than most non fee paying schools..
@Vigo the Carpathian: But they can afford to pay the fees of Wesley College and that is what you seem to have a problem with. I say best of luck to them.
@Mick Jordan: Not without a massive subvention that puts poorer schools at a financial disadvantage.. If it were poor people getting a government payment and topping it up from their own pocket for a better service than everyone else you’d be the first to accuse them of fiddling the system… One law for the rich and another for the poor eh Mick…
We had the worst journalist ever Brenda power tell us on tv last night we are an equal society. Wonder do her children go to public school.
And the pope has nothing to do with the Catholic church
Its strange that a fee paying school,would get than amount ,while there are people waiting on a home,how many houses would that money have provided,
This is perhaps one of the reasons parties such as Sinn Fein are getting a firm foothold in Irish politics and also represents this government in a microcosm: we look after our own and sod the rest. To give such funding to a private school with already an array of facilities to rival a professional club is a slap in the face to the People from other areas with little or no facilities and what facilities they do have are as a result of local fundraising. And yet there are clubs from disadvantaged areas a few miles from this with absolutely no grounds and no facilities for kids to play sport. I’m no leftie but same time there needs to be some social equality applied here. This is disgraceful
He needs to be brought in front of the public account committee and explain himself
I’m disgusted, how could anyone think that he had anything to do with it, it’s pure coincidence and ……………………………………………….ah forget it, as you were.
“I had absolutely nothing to do with it whatsoever, bar signing off.”?? So he did have something to do with it? And surely the ‘signing off’ is what makes it official? So he could have chosen not to sign it off and instead question why a private fee paying that has a full A4 page listing all the pitches/facilities they have was getting all this funding instead of giving it to a school that was actually in need of it.
Boils my blood, with the , its nothing to do with me excuse, a blind person can see what happened, he knew perfectly well. And smiles like an idiot because he knows , nobody will do a ,damn thing about it..
@Declan Crowley: It’s the “Leo defence”.. take full political credit for it until it’s pointed out that the optics don’t look too good then it nothing to do with them…
I dont think he is telling the truth
Hahahaaaa! Sleveen
If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, then it is probably a duck… has there ever been a more useless incompetent minister? I know that’s a big call but this guy was supposed to change how politics was done. Transport is a mess and he wouldn’t know one Kearney from another when it comes to sport!
Someone should slip a resignation letter in front of him and see if he signs off without observation or comment
An independent TD who shouted from the high moral ground in his indo articles. Turns out is same as all the rest …
When I went there it had a swimming pool too.
Must apply for a grant to get a new one
It’s not like a politician to lie!!!How can it be justified that a school like Wesley gets a grant? Madness
@Roibeard Ó Riain: in Ireland it WHO you know that matters, not WHAT you know
But he took credit for it anyway. Gotcha
Mr Ross, you’re the minister in the relevant department. The buck stops with YOU.
Ah Shure it’s pure coincidence!! I wouldn’t have Ross walk my dog.
He would say that wouldn’t he
So he signed off on €150k grant without observations…..
Someone elses money
He was delighted a rich school with everything they want got it as opposed to a an underprivileged school with poor or no facilities .sums up our little corrupt rotten to the core society.was he not against parish pump politics etc etc.he is a disgrace.
Clown….
Liar he’s looking after his own Church of Ireland school. No harm in that, but don’t lie about it
One word Liar.
Lord Stroke of Ross strikes again!!!!!
Mandy Rice Davies “He would say that wouldn’t he!”
Lord Stroke of Ross strikes again!!!!! Leo can you sack this man, please
Sadly Shane Ross is the only one who thinks that.
Bull!
have your say