Casey Seiler is reporting at Capitol Confidential State Sen. Tony Avella, of Queens, has introduced a bill to make St. Patrick’s Day a school holiday “in districts with a significant Irish-American population.” That means a district where the number of people of Irish descent is 7.5 percent or more, according to the most current Census data. Avella introduced the bill in response to the city Department of Education’s announcement that parent-teacher conferences would be held on St. Patrick’s Day. He said teachers were infuriated that the department had them work all day and night through their only cultural holiday, according to the news release from Avella's office. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.