Education cuts reversal key to keep Greens in coalition

A REVERSAL of controversial education cuts introduced in the past year could be crucial to a deal to keep the Green Party in coalition with Fianna Fáil but Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe was unwilling to say yesterday if he is willing to concede such changes.

It is understood the Fianna Fáil team negotiating with their coalition partners has been in contact with the Department of Education over the past week about the cost implications of abandoning some of the cuts.

Two of the party’s three negotiators – Noel Dempsey and Mary Hanafin – have previously been education ministers, and have spent the past week with Justice Minister Dermot Ahern discussing a revised Programme for Government with Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan, deputy leader Mary White and Senator Dan Boyle.