Education budget fails to address 'big issues', say teachers' unions

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland said their is no suggestion that the Government is serious about tackling the teacher recruitment and retention crisis

The expansion of free school books from primary and special schools to cover first, second and third-year students will bring the number of pupils availing of free school books to more than 768,000.

More than 200,000 pupils will benefit from the expansion of free school books to junior cycle students from next September, however, teachers' unions have warned that the budget failed to address the “big issues”.

The expansion of free school books from primary and special schools to cover first, second and third-year students will bring the number of pupils availing of free school books to more than 768,000.

In addition, the hot school meals programme is to be expanded to a further 900 primary schools in April.

Budget 2024 allocated €10.5bn to the Department of Education, including a capital budget of €940 million to facilitate the continued roll-out of “urgently needed” school building projects which includes the 300 building projects currently underway. A further 200 school building projects are due to commence construction throughout 2024 and 2025.

Funding for over 1,200 additional SNAs was also announced, giving the highest number of SNAs ever in the education system, according to Public Expenditure Minister Pascal Donohoe.

This is in addition to over 740 additional teachers to support those with special educational needs in special classes, special schools and mainstream settings. An increase of €50m in funding for school transport was also announced in addition to a €60m capitation payment to schools from the beginning of 2024 to cover increased day-to-day costs such as heating and electricity.

It is understood that there is also set to be a separate €81m worth of capitation funding provided to schools, restoring capitation levels to pre-2011 levels, however, this is yet to be officially announced.

An extension of the fee waivers on school transport services and state exams for a further year were also announced.

Although welcoming some measures, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said the information available so far suggests that the Government is in no way serious about tackling the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, an approach it says is “as baffling as it is worrying”.

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TUI General Secretary, Michael Gillespie, said it is “bitterly disappointing” that the budget appeared to be silent on measures that would tackle the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.

“As a result, it is inevitable that the already dire situation in many schools will worsen. We have consistently made clear the colossal problems that this has created in the provision of education so the department’s approach is as baffling as it is worrying and will ultimately restrict the range of subjects available to students,” he said.

Mr Gillespie also said the announcement of free school books is a step in the right direction, however, it should have been extended to Senior Cycle.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) President, Geraldine O’Brien, said the budget failed to address the big issues in education requiring urgent investment such as class size, teacher shortages and school guidance/counselling services.

“We are extremely disappointed and concerned that despite the fact that schools are struggling to fill vacant teaching positions and students are in too large classes, the budget does not address the big issues. It is a missed opportunity,” she said.