IPPN

Over 7,000 protest education cuts

Published: 10 November 2008

JOHN FALLON and SEÁN FLYNN

Mon, Nov 10, 2008

THE CAMPAIGN against the Budget education cuts gained fresh impetus at the weekend as more than 7,000 teachers, parents and pupils attended a protest in Galway.

With more demonstrations planned for the coming weeks, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe is to begin a series of meetings with education groups.

Tomorrow he will meet school managers from the Joint Managerial Board and the Irish Vocational Education Association. He will also meet members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI). Other meetings are planned with the INTO, Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta Teo, the Church of Ireland Board of Education and primary management bodies.

While has been no indication that the Minister is willing to row back on any of the cutbacks, education groups remain optimistic that the new limits on substitution cover will be amended.

The large crowd in Galway braved driving wind and rain to voice their opposition to the education cuts. Similar rallies are planned for around the country in the next month, culminating in a mass protest in Dublin on Saturday, December 6th.

"It's a wonderful turnout in such terrible weather and it just goes to show the depth of feeling among teachers and parents at these cutbacks," said INTO vice-president Máire Ní Chuinneagáin.

Members of the TUI, the Primary Principals' Network, the Catholic Primary Schools Managers Association and the National Parents Council joined their INTO colleagues for the event. They were supported by a host of Opposition politicians.

INTO general secretary John Carr said that every public representative needed to know of the widespread opposition to the cuts.

"We want to tell the Minister and the Government that we will not allow our children to pay for the sins of big bankers and big developers," he said.

INTO president Declan Kelleher said the huge crowd that had turned out displayed the strong ties that exist between parents, teachers and management in primary schools.

"We are united in our opposition to these totally unjustified attacks on an already under-funded primary education service," said Mr Kelleher.

Sr Geraldine Costello, a representative of school boards of management, said the Government should be spending more to address shortfalls in education.

Sr Costello was especially critical of the removal of substitute cover for teachers on uncertified sick leave. "The losers in all of this will be the children. The cutbacks are short-sighted and counter-productive . . ." she said.