Union: End private school subsidies to avoid staff cuts

THE Government could reverse staffing cuts, which will raise class sizes, by withdrawing its €96 million state subsidy of teacher salaries in fee-paying schools, a union claims.

The figure matches exactly the anticipated saving by the Department of Education of its changes to teacher allocations for primary and second-level schools announced in the budget.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan told the Dáil the changes, which will mean more than 100,000 primary children will be in classes of 30 or more next year and will restrict subject choices for second-level students, would save Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe €18m from next September and €96m in a full year.