IPPN

Published: 29 October 2008

Source : Irish Examiner

By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
EDUCATION Minister Batt O'Keeffe admitted that the level of teaching delivered to students will be affected by class size increases forced by the budget — but insisted there is no going back on the decision.

He said this and other controversial education cutbacks — including an ending of paid teacher substitution except on certified sick leave and maternity leave from January and cuts in supports for Traveller children and newcomer pupils — had to be taken in the short term to ensure an economy which would create jobs for those who are currently at school.

Since the controversial announcement of changes to primary and second level staffing levels a fortnight ago, he has insisted that it is the quality of the teacher in the classroom rather than the number of children in it which is most important.

But asked by the Irish Examiner if he agreed that the quality of the teaching provided — rated among the highest in Europe by the OECD — was going to be more thinly spread if there are more children in the class, he replied: "Of course it is."

However, Mr O'Keeffe remained adamant that no other savings could be made in his department's €9 billion budget that would allow him avoid class sizes rising or other education service cutbacks, despite the prospect of thousands of teachers and parents protesting outside the Dáil today.

"I'm saying to the teacher unions, to parents and everybody involved, that all of us are going to have to take pain in the short term. It is going to be in the best interest in the long term that we should stand back, collaborate, co-operate and find some mechanism by which we would deal with the crisis we're in at the moment.

"At the end of the day, the future of our children will be safeguarded because they will have jobs," he said.

Asked about concerns among the Green Party's grassroots and some Fianna Fáil public representatives, he said he was very confident they would back the education cuts and support the Government amendment to Labour's class size motion when it is voted on tomorrow.

"I'll be meeting with the Green Party members, I'll be meeting with my own parliamentary party members and I'll be outlining in detail what the options are for us," he said, speaking before the afternoon meeting of Green Party TDs, senators and councillors.

However, Fianna Fáil senator and former teacher Ned O'Sullivan said he will be proposing at this evening's parliamentary party meeting, that Mr O'Keeffe take the €18 million needed next year and €100m in 2010 to keep class sizes at current levels out of his €580m school building budget.

"I know it will be unpopular with those schools waiting for new schools or extensions but it would be better than putting children in bigger classes," he said.

But the Kerry native said he would not leave the party or vote against the Government on the issue.

Kieran Moriarty, a Fianna Fáil member of Tralee Town Council, resigned from the party last week over education cuts, which were also cited in Wicklow TD Joe Behan's resignation from Fianna Fáil and independent TD Finian McGrath's withdrawal of his support for the Government.