Education groups to protest ahead of budget

An umbrella group of education unions is mounting a major pre-Budget protest tomorrow to call for more public funding.

The newly-formed Education Not For Sale body today called on the primary, secondary and third-level sector to support their demonstration outside the Dáil ahead of Wednesday’s Budget.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) described the 6% funding rise in last week’s Book Estimates as “miserly” and also referred to the “pathetic” grant levels.

USI president Ben Archibold said: “We will not allow the meltdown of the education system. We are fighting against Government plans to chop up and sell off Irish education.”

Lack of adequate Government investment was also hitting education staff who provide services to students, according to the unions.

SIPTU education branch president Marnie Holborrow said the third level sector required a funding increase of 12% to maintain current spending demands.

Hugh Gibbons of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) said: “We don’t think the Budget will be very positive towards us.”

Primary school children experience education disadvantage in “privatised” pre-school services, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) warned.

INTO president Austin Corcoran said the 7% funding increase in the Book of Estimates failed to adequately cover spiralling costs like energy, insurance and wages.

Teachers Union of Ireland president Paddy Healy said: “We are calling on the Minister for Finance to give a new priority to education in his Budget with a strong focus on educational disadvantage.”

Mr Archibold said: “At a time when the Government’s coffers are overflowing, it is not acceptable that there is not a major investment in education to address the neglect of the past.”