First World Country, Third World Standards!

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Saturday June 04, 2005 05:41

by Oisín O Reilly - U.S.S.

ussvp at hotmail dot com

34 Broadmeadow Green, Ashbourne, Co.Meath.

+353 85 1421202

The Union of Secondary Students sends its most sincere condolences to the parents and families affected by the recent tragic accident in Navan; and to the students, friends, teachers and staff at the schools who now mourn a great loss.

Our thoughts are with our peers, and especially the classmates of the 5 young girls, and all those who are now to sit their Leaving and Junior Certs while still in Grief. We hope that you are given all support in your time of need. This terrible accident has brought to light a very important issue, which until now was taken for granted. How safe are our buses? Why are our school buses overcrowded? Why aren’t the adequate safety precautions in place to prevent such accidents and loss of life? The response from the department of education is that it is too impractical to put in place the proper seatbelts needed into school buses, and of course the funding is always an issue…USS sees this as gross negligence on the behalf of the Department. USS President Hazel Nolan said yesterday, “this is an abuse of the faith of the young people, and their parents, who put the lives of their children in the hands of the Department." Why does it take a tragedy, and the loss of life and suffering before such an important issue comes to the fore? Why does the Department only act to react? We are a first world country with third world education standards. USS asks the Minister to respond on behalf of the Department, when will this government stop being reactive and start being proactive in its policy on education? For further Information please contact: Hazel Nolan, President - 087 9050713, president@ussonline.net Oisin O Reilly, Vice President – 0851421202

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Comments (5 of 5)

3rd world standards abound

by Jack

Sat Jun 11, 2005 01:47

Ireland is by no stretch of the imagination a first world country. Money and economic success doesn’t constitute first world the moment a country attains this. Relative poverty in Ireland is shockingly high. I have lived in 2 different "3rd World" countries and mind you when I set foot in Dublin airport I could see which way things were going to go until I reached the main road from Dublin to Limerick. REDICULOUS to find such a sorry scenario in a supposed 1st world country. Irish Roads are worse than many of the countries designated 3rd world. Now, on Educational achievement. Unfortunately Irish Schools are lacking behind the rest of Europe its a well know fact in Europe (I have 1st hand experience with this). But the biggest farce of all is the institution of fossilised idiots at the helm of the fossilised National University of Ireland. Let me remind you that not a single university in Ireland has ever made the top 500 of Universities in the world. Again, a number of 3rd world countries have a couple of universities who made the top 500. Just look at all the scandals recently, Gardai grossly abusing their power, the government charging the vulnerable when it was illegal to do so, deportations are carried out in an inhumane way. Finally after 30 years of handouts from the EU (which will end very soon) and economic success due to tax incentives Ireland has become wealthy, unfortunately the 3rd world country of the 80's still lingers on!

Oh dats impraktical

by no money to fix de brakes

Fri Jun 10, 2005 02:00

we are perhaps economcally first world, any accountant will tell you that. What doesnt appear on their spreadsheet are things that are impossible to put monetary value on.

Socially we are going from 1st to third world but we all think this boom is great.

Today a kid in St Gerards, Bray(4400 euros per year) was hospitalised after another boy beat him up over an arguement about who's dad was richer

the richer we get the more we seem to snap

Third world

by John

Sat Jun 04, 2005 19:57

Have you ever been to the third world? When you grow up you should consider paying it a visit, then you'd realise how daft your propaganda is. In terms of educational attainments its absurd to call Ireland a third world country. Measured by the number going on to second-level education, the number going on to third-level education, the number of graduates, their types of qualifications, the results of PISA literacy and numeracy tests, Ireland not only has a first world education system, its in the top half of that first world. This isn't just my view. Its the view of Intel, IBM, Microsoft, Pfizier, Abbott and a hundred other companies at the forefront of modern industrial technology, who cite the education system as one of their reasons for investing in Ireland. Your attempt to exploit the tragic accident in Meath for political ends is disgusting. Such an accident certainly does not indicate third world status, since in the third world pupils are far more likely to have to walk barefoot to school rather than be transported in buses provided by the Government. Accidents such as happened in Meath have happened in every country in the world in which school transport is provided by the Government. Name one in which such a tragic accident has not happened. There was a similar tragic school bus accident in France last year, involving much greater loss of life, and one in Austria earlier this year. Do these countries also have third world education systems? Lefists in Ireland insult the third world by routinely describing as 'third world' every facility and service in Ireland which does not meet their standards of perfection. If any of them had ever visited the third world, they'd realise how ludicrous such claims are.

Who are USS?

by toneore

Sat Jun 04, 2005 10:13

toneore at eircom dot net

Tell us - who is the person funding you? Where are your accounts?

by Bosco

Sat Jun 04, 2005 06:01

The USS has nothing better to moan about. What happened to students moaning about minimum wage, school uniform, etc. Instead they exaggerate about school conditions eg. students dehydration "Third World Standards"!!! USS werent effective during the teachers strikes or student deportation so what makes them think the minister is going to stand up and listen to the students on such an important issues.

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First World Country, Third World Standards!

Comments (5 of 5)