Quinn stands over education job cuts

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said cuts to further education teacher numbers will not be reversed, despite the loss of course choices for thousands of students.

Mr Quinn said it is hard to justify giving those programmes more generous pupil-teacher ratios than are received by second-level schools catering for teenagers.

The further education sector has been incensed by the cutting of 200 full-time posts from next year, saying the cuts will limit or end their ability to offer many specialist courses that prepare students for the needs of many industries. Some courses have already been identified as under threat, as part-time teachers and those on fixed-term contracts are most in danger of losing out.