Parent group’s future in balance

DEIRDRE SULLIVAN has worked for the National Parent Council Primary section for the past nine years.

The group is a voice for parents in the education sector — helping them to be part of the educational experience of their children.

The NPC runs six programmes, all designed around the needs of the parent and child. These programmes include modules such as the training of parents to be members of parents’ associations or boards of management and early start programmes.

At the moment, Deirdre is preparing the NPC’s submission for funding to the Department of Education. She and her colleagues will know in January whether they have received enough backing to be able to continue to operate effectively.

Four years ago, a 55% drop in financial support meant her team had to lose four of its six core members and the amount of work it was able to provide was severely curtailed.

“I cannot tell them now if they will have work for another year,” she said. “All I can say is ‘funding permitting’...”

Deirdre said that this was the sort of uncertainty that is prevalent in community sector employment.

As with all the other areas of the sector, pension provision is non-existent.

“There are some of our members who do a lot of work for other organisations in the voluntary sector and they do not get pensions in any of them.

“Essentially we provide services to the most vulnerable in society. It is not a 9-5 job and we accept that is just the way it goes. The problems we face are just indicative of the sector.”