Department says 254 teaching jobs to go [Irish Times]
- Published: 25 February 2009
Source: Irish Times
By: SEÁN FLYNN, Education Editor
THE DEPARTMENT of Education has said that 254 teaching posts will be lost as a consequence of the increase in class size triggered by changes in the budget.
However, teachers' union the INTO continues to insist that over 1,000 posts will go.
In an unusual move, the department yesterday published a provisional list of schools that are set to lose posts from September.
This confirms, it said, that the scale of job losses would be relatively small.
But the INTO said the department's list took no account of the 500 English language support jobs which were being axed, the 128 special classes which are set to close and the loss of almost 60 social inclusion posts such as home school co-ordinators.
The INTO's general secretary, John Carr, said the information released into the public domain by Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe confirmed the union's view than up to 1,000 posts would be lost in primary schools.
More than 100 teaching posts will be lost in Dublin city and country according to the department's list.
These include four posts in the Muslim School, Cabra, and three in Scoil Thomais, Castleknock.
The department says two posts will be lost in a range of Dublin schools, including Lucan Boys; Scoil Mhuire, Lucan; Holy Child Girls, Whitehall; Scoil Fhiachra, Beaumont; John Paul II, Malahide; Talbot Senior, Clondalkin; and St Colmcille, Knocklyon.
Four posts will also be lost at Edenderry Convent, Co Offaly.
Three posts will go at Scoil Naomh Bríd in Ballinlough, Cork; Ratoath Junior, Co Meath; and at Tirellan Heights, Galway.
Mr Carr said that while many teachers would be redeployed to other schools, the main impact would be widespread unemployment for graduate teachers who simply will not find jobs.
The budget changes included the increase in class sizes from 27 to 28 which cuts teacher numbers; the loss of teaching posts from schools no longer designated as disadvantaged; and a new ceiling of a maximum of two language support teachers for most schools.
At the time, Mr O'Keeffe insisted only 200 posts would go in the State's 3,300 national schools.
Last night, a spokesman for the Minister stood over the figure of about 200 net job losses in primary and second-level sectors.
The projected losses are based on the pupil enrolment returns from schools and the operation of the staffing schedule published earlier this month.
The staffing position for schools can change if they have a significant increase in enrolment for September 2009.
The department estimates include provision for the allocation of up to 350 posts in response to increased enrolment.
Schools may, under certain criteria, appeal their projected losses to the Staffing Appeals Board.
The list is on the department's website, www.education.ie, listed under the "education personnel", "primary" and "staffing schedule" links.
