Being Minister for Education between 1982 and 1986 was tough. The country was in something of an economic quagmire. Mounting national debt meant cutbacks in high-spending areas such as education.
Between 1981 and 1982 there had been three general elections and a succession of Ministers for Education. When Gemma Hussey began her term of office, she made it her aim to give "some stability to educational policy. I embarked on a process of consultation. In 1984 we brought out the first-ever Action Programme for Education which prioritised a four-year programme and targeted disadvantage at primary level."
The Curriculum and Exam Board was set up in the same year - until then, curriculum and assessment had been in the hands of the Inspectorate. She introduced aural and oral exams and set up the National Parents Council.
"I also worked to achieve a breakthrough in multi-denominational education," she says. "The official opening of the Dalkey School Project was a happy time for me."
The lowest low? "Trying to explain to people that we didn't have an endless amount of money to spend . . . it was very difficult dealing with three very powerful and highly articulate teacher unions and a very strong vocal Dail opposition which tabled a constant stream of opposition motions condemning me."
She feels very fortunate that Garret FitzGerald was very devoted to education - "he protected it as much as he could."
Hussey sees the period as "a learning time for everyone - when Fianna Fail came into power in 1987, they quickly realised that that their spending would be restricted and they made even greater cutbacks."
The conference round? "I was the first Minister to visit all the teacher conferences and I had an appallingly bad time at them. I don't think the teacher unions did themselves any favours in terms of their image. The public got tired of hearing their endless outcries."
Although she recalls her term as being hectic and difficult, Hussey says that she has never regretted for a moment the years she spent as Minister.
