Schools may have to close in January -- teachers
- Published: 29 October 2008
Source : Irish Independent
By John Walshe Education Editor
Wednesday October 29 2008
Primary school bosses warned for the first time yesterday that they face school closures in January because of budget cuts.
The warning was issued at a news conference attended by 10 organisations representing parents, teachers and managers.
They called for massive support for tonight's demonstration outside Leinster House while the INTO announced a series of rallies around the country starting on Saturday November 8, in Galway.
Eileen Flynn, General Secretary of the Catholic Primary School Management Association, said the proposed cuts affected every child in every class.
"How can management deliver on its statutory function under the Education Act in a safe environment in the face of such a lack of understanding of the impact of the education cuts on all concerned?" she asked.
Ms Flynn agreed that failure to meet their statutory obligations left schools open to being sued by parents if their children were deprived of their full educational entitlements.
Fears were expressed over the impact of the ending of paid substitution 'cover' for teachers on uncertified sick leave or on official school business. Sean Cottrell, Director of the Irish Primary Principals Network, said principals had a duty of care to the pupils and would not send them home without notification.
But if it became obvious that schools would continue for a few days without 'cover' then principals would have to give 24 hours notice about exceptional school closures under rule 60 of the Rules for National Schools. This was normally used for exceptional situations such as no heating or heavy snowfalls.
Mr Cottrell was scathing of the overall effects of the cuts saying that "if a colonial Government imposed this budget on us, we would describe it as an act of national sabotage by means of deliberately undermining our education system".
Philip Mudge, Vice-Chair of the National Parents Council -- Primary, said: "If the proposed budget cuts are brought in, it will be the most vulnerable children in the most marginalised communities who will suffer most."
INTO president Declan Kelleher said that teachers acting together with their Boards of Management cannot be asked to place children in unsafe situations in unsuitable conditions with class size ratios which will mean that the teacher cannot supervise them, not to talk of educating them.
Demonstrations
He announced a series of demonstrations starting in Galway, followed by protests in Tullamore, Cork and Donegal and culminating in a national march and rally in Dublin on December 6.
But Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe is insisting that the number of teaching posts lost because of budget cutbacks will be no more than 400. Mr O'Keeffe said overall teacher numbers will be reduced by 200 at both primary and secondary levels, which he said will bring class levels to what they were last year.
Teaching unions claim more than 1,000 teaching posts will be cut as a result of the budget measures. Speaking in UCC yesterday morning, Mr O'Keeffe said the cuts were unavoidable due to the current state of the public finances.
As the Minister spoke to media outside the Glucksman Gallery yesterday, he was heckled by students with a megaphone protesting over the proposed reintroduction of college fees.
- John Walshe Education Editor
