An insider's guide to education

- IT WAS ALL

sweetness and light at last week’s meeting of the seven university presidents.

The presidents of UCD and UCC (Hugh Brady and Michael Murphy) and the TCD Provost (John Hegarty) are still basking in those very positive comments about their graduates from Google . But some others are sitting less comfortably.

One positive decision at the meeting was that the seven universities should stop seeking out international student individually. Instead, they have agreed to work together.

That’s good news. Ireland continues to punch below its weight when it comes to recruiting foreign students.

- THE RESHUFFLEmakes no difference to UCD's total dominance around the Cabinet table.

In all, nine members of the Cabinet went to Belfield. There are also seven former teachers around the Cabinet table.

- SINGER-SONGWRITERPaul Brady is supporting a new scholarship scheme at University of Limerick. The Paul Brady Blas Scholarship will give €20,000 in funds over three years, providing 25 places for deserving musicians on the Blas Summer School programme, where they will benefit from masterclasses and tuition from some of Ireland's most respected traditional musicians and dancers.

Brady – whose enviable back catalogue includes Crazy Dreams, The Long Goodbyeand The Island– is one of the first figures from the Irish entertainment world to give something back to Irish education.

Other bands please note.

- THE DEBATEabout Catholic patronage of primary schools has become more divisive in recent months, as both sides dig in. But if you want a good guide to the issues, seek out Brian Hayes's terrific speech on the issue to the recent Fine Gael conference in Killarney.

Hayes says change is inevitable and necessary. But he also makes some challenging points about Catholic control.

Here’s a flavour: “In the great majority of cases the local national school is the local catholic school. But they are Catholic with a small c, rather then a capital C. Children of all faiths and none are made feel welcome. Let’s be honest, it has been Catholic schools who have done virtually all of the heavy lifting in integrating international students who have moved to Ireland.”

- IT'S THE ENDof an era for the teacher unions this week, as the INTO general secretary, John Carr, and his ASTI counterpart, John White, prepare to leave the stage.

Both are held in very high regard across the trade union movement, by the civil service – and even among those begrudgers in the media. We wish both the very best on their retirement.

• Got any education gossip? E-mail in confidence to teacherspet@irishtimes.com