Schoolbooks cut hits students in deprived areas

THE budget provision which allows for €7.5 million to be cut from schoolbook funds for schools in disadvantaged areas — DEIS schools — is a crushing blow to these children.

Thousands of pupils in 875 primary and second-level schools across the country will have their schoolbook grant either eliminated or at best reduced.

Put cuts in the teacher-pupil ratio, English language support teachers and Traveller teachers on top of this and it is clear this Fianna Fáil-led Government is not according any importance whatsoever to disadvantaged schools and their pupils.