Union urges Quinn to reverse school cuts

A LEADING teachers’ union has urged Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to reverse cutbacks for some of the most disadvantaged schools in the country after he announced a full review of the issue.

During a two-day Dáil debate on education cutbacks, Mr Quinn confirmed he is considering a re-think on controversial plans to reduce funding for the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme.

The review, which will be published in four weeks, will focus on whether savings can be made in other areas without removing services and if these schools — which receive extra educational and social support — can cope with a reduction in posts.

The review is separate from a previously announced examination of how the DEIS programme — which supports more than 800 primary and post-primary schools in Ireland — is working, which will be made public later today.

While Mr Quinn did not explicitly say he is planning a U-turn on the initial budget cutbacks, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said the announcement was “a very significant development”.

His comments came after a private members’ bill from Sinn Féin against cuts in the education budget was beaten in the Dáil on Wednesday, by 85 votes to 42.

During the debate, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Jonathan O’Brien claimed the review plan was announced simply to keep wavering Government backbenchers onside.

He said two of his children attended a DEIS school, meaning they were potential victims of the planned cutbacks.

Independent TD for Dublin North Central Finian McGrath claimed the Government’s austerity measures in education were in breach of Article 281 of the UN convention on the rights of the child and Ireland’s Education Act of 1988.

However, Junior Education Minister Seán Sherlock said cuts in the education budget were needed if the economy was to recover.

He said frontline services had been protected in schools, but added that a key point of the bailout deal was to reduce public sector pay — one third of which was spent on workers in the education system.

Under the Government’s initial DEIS school budget plans, 88 teaching and support posts could be lost in 19 Cork DEIS schools over the next two years.

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