O'Keeffe's school 'furious' at cuts
- Published: 20 October 2008
By Anne Lucey
PARENTS of pupils at Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe's former school have begun a protest campaign to lobby against school cuts.
St Brendan's College, Killarney, gave the minister his education and is one of the oldest secondary schools in Munster.
But it faces losing up to four teachers with the increase in class size from 18 to 19, as well as thousands of euro in grants for music and cultural programmes.
The school's programme of book grants for disadvantaged students also looks set to be discontinued under the Budget cuts.
From January, it will also not be able to avail of substitute teachers for teachers accompanying students on school business. Substitution for uncertified sick leave is also being axed and "will lead to chaos", a parents' association meeting heard.
The association called for unified action by parents' associations in the voluntary school sector across the county.
Prior to the Budget, school management at St Brendan's had been informed the school's building programme to renovate some 150-year-old classrooms -- launched seven years ago -- was again being deferred.
Chairperson of the St Brendan's Parents Association, John Reidy, said the parents were not going to stand by and simply let the cuts take effect.
"Parents are furious. These cutbacks have come out of the blue. Already the school is struggling to make ends meet. Subject choice is bound to be affected with the larger class size from September," Mr Reidy said.
