‘Minister failed to take difficult decision’

“EDUCATION is a great liberator” — several deputies used this phrase during the course of a Sinn Féin private member’s motion debated in the Dáil last Wednesday and Thursday.

Ever since the announcement in December by the Education and Skills minister that he was withdrawing 482 DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme posts, schools, parents and communities the length and breadth of this state have been coming to terms with the impact this cut will have.

Anyone who has spoken with the parents of children attending DEIS schools will see for themselves the anger this announcement has caused. I know this because I am one such parent and as a parent of two young children currently attending DEIS Band 1 schools, I am angry that the Minister for Education has brought forward proposals which will deny my children the best education possible.