10,000 teachers and parents expected at Dáil protest today
- Published: 29 October 2008
Source : Irish Examiner
By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
UP TO 10,000 teachers and parents are expected to show their anger over education cutbacks outside the Dáil gates this evening, though it looks increasingly likely that the Government will not be defeated on a vote on the issue tomorrow.
The debate on a Labour Party motion that seeks a reversal of the primary and second-level class size increases announced in the budget, begins tonight with TDs due to vote at 12.30pm tomorrow.
Irish Rail said it expects heavy bookings on its services to Dublin today, although nothing like the numbers it carried last week for people supporting the Senior Citizens Parliament protest about the medical card for over-70s.
Teacher unions were unable to predict how many members will take part as schools are on mid-term break and groups are being organised at local rather than national levels.
However, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) also expect parents and some of the many thousands of people who volunteer as school board members to lend their support to the teatime protest at Leinster House.
They can also expect vocal support from third-level students who already showed their anger over registration fee hikes of 66% and a possible return to student tuition fees with an estimated 10,000-strong protest last Wednesday.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said no budget has ever unleashed such a wave of public anger, been as ill-judged or as poorly thought out.
"Never before has a government retreated so rapidly from key budgetary proposals. However, having been forced to make significant concessions on the proposal to withdraw the automatic entitlement to medical cards ... it appears that the Government parties are now planning to draw the line on the education cuts," he said.
Mr Gilmore told a meeting of Labour's Trinity College Dublin branch it is hard to see how the Green Party will retain any credibility if they vote with the Government in tomorrow's vote.
The Greens yesterday decided to continue to support the Government despite concern among members about cuts to education, but said it would instead seek changes within the Department of Education budget.
"The public anger at these cuts will intensify if they are implemented and it is very unlikely that the electorate will forgive the Government parties for what they are planning to do.
"Government deputies are likely to face a long and vigorous campaign against the cuts unless the Government sees sense," he said.
