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Anger on streets during biggest public rally since Iraq war

Published: 08 December 2008

Anger on streets during biggest public rally since Iraq war
By Fiach Kelly
Monday December 08 2008

Anger at cuts in education spending spilled over into the streets at the weekend as up to 70,000 marchers protested in Dublin's biggest demonstration since protests against the Iraq war.

Teachers, parents and children marched from Parnell Square to Merrion Square on Saturday afternoon as a series of nationwide protests against education cuts reached its climax.

Estimates on the turnout varied wildly, with the garda press office putting the figure at just over 40,000, the Irish National Teacher's Organisation (INTO) claiming 60,000 people took part and some speakers at the rally following the march saying 70,000 people were present.

Among the marchers were the usual politicians of all shades -- albeit minus Government representatives, who seem to have learned lessons from Minister for Older People Maire Hoctor's ill-fated attempt to reason with baying pensioners over the medical cards issue.

"The Government have gone into hiding," a mother informed her young boy as they marched past the Gresham. "Why, mammy?" asked the boy. "Because they're afraid of us," she replied.

The huge march was organised jointly by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), the INTO and the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI).

The unions claim that 120,000 people have now marched against the school spending measures in the Budget when previous demonstrations in Galway, Cork, Donegal and Tullamore are included.

Saturday's demonstration was intended to highlight issues such as the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio, the removal of free book schemes and English support teachers, the condition of school buildings and the removal of grants for Traveller education.

Protesters carried numerous placards, including ones which said "Schools Unite Against Cuts", "Leave Our Kids Alone", "Don't Make Our Children Pay" and "28:1, Good Odds for a Horse, Not A Child".

The march caused traffic disruption in the city centre and the large crowd was addressed by several union leaders and politicians, and was also entertained by folk band, The Fureys.

The legions of protesters at Saturday's education march might have thought they had been transported to Stalinist Russia as they walked up O'Connell Street in the bright afternoon chill.

For parked under the Spire were a few tanks, with their guns hoisted skyward, standing between them and O'Connell Bridge.

Support

But these were no Red Army warriors, rather FCA troops who smiled and shook their collection buckets in support.

Fine Gael's Brian Hayes, Labour's Roisin Shortall, and Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald all took aim at the Battman -- already a hackneyed nickname -- with hundreds of protesters carrying placards depicting him and Brian Cowen as "Battman and Robbin" and others wearing Dark Knight-style face masks.

INTO general secretary John Carr told the crowd: "Adults will play a part and pay a fair share in finding a resolution to the current economic climate.

"But we will not support a savage and misguided attack on children, which is this Government's solution.

"It beggars belief that children would be targeted by Government to bail out an ailing economy. It is staggering that newcomer children, Travellers and special needs children should be targeted for additional cutbacks."

The INTO's Declan Kelleher called the cutbacks an "act of educational vandalism".

Don Ryan, president of the TUI, said that the cuts "will severely damage most of our schools and colleges".

ASTI president Pat Hurley claimed that education was neglected throughout the Celtic Tiger years.

"As a result there is no fat to trim from the education sector," he said. "The many cuts cannot fail to have an effect on every school in the country. Every child and their family will be affected."

- Fiach Kelly

Parents show solidarity in face of budget cuts

Published: 08 December 2008

Source : Irish Times

Parents show solidarity in face of budget cuts

SEÁN FLYNN, Education Editor

IN A powerful demonstration of opposition to the budget education cutbacks, more than 50,000 attended a "Schools United" march on Saturday organised by the teacher' unions.

While thousands of teachers and trainee teachers marched in the Dublin protest, a striking feature of the demonstration was the huge number of ordinary citizens protesting about the budget.

The mass demonstration was also attended by thousands of third-level students.

Irish National Teachers' Organisation general secretary John Carr told the protesters in Merrion Square that the presence of so many on the streets sent a clear message to Government about the kind of society people wanted, and wanted children to grow up in.

"Today, a message has been sent to Government that people don't want children herded into overcrowded classes."

He said the protest made a statement that while economic wellbeing is important, we live in communities of people, including children.

"Adults will play a part and pay their fair share in finding a resolution to the current economic crisis. But we will not support a savage and misguided attack on children which is this Government's solution," said Mr Carr.

"Shame on the Minister who thought up these cutbacks. Shame on the Cabinet that approved these cutbacks. Shame on the Government that would implement these cutbacks."

Despite the huge turnout, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe gave no hint of compromise over the weekend.

In a statement issued to coincide with the protest he said: "I know that some of the measures, particularly those affecting schools, are unpopular but the gravity of the financial situation we face makes them absolutely necessary."

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland president Pat Hurley said education had been neglected during the Celtic Tiger boom years. "As a result there is no fat to trim from the education sector. Parents know this and teachers know this," he said.

The budget cutbacks, he added, would mean larger classes, less subject choice, fewer English language support teachers and home school liaison teachers, removal of grants for Traveller education, transition year, leaving cert applied physics and chemistry, and school books. These cuts cannot fail to have an effect on every school in the country. Every child and their family will be affected by these cuts.

Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) general secretary Peter McMenamin strongly refuted suggestions by the Minister that the unions are "scaremongering".

"We are not overstating the effect of the loss of teachers on our schools, the loss of subjects . . . of funding for books and for essential programmes."

He continued: "Nether are we here just to look after ourselves as teachers - as some commentators and covert plants on RTE's Questions and Answers would have you believe. We are here to protect the system because we care."

TUI president Don Ryan said the budget education cuts "lack care . . . lack compassion."

In his statement, the Minister said, "it was simply not realistic that education be completely exempted from any spending restrictions in the current economic climate."

The Minister said the cost-saving measures the Government outlined in the budget are necessary to safeguard the future of our country and of our children. "I am asking for the support of the entire education sector in helping us to work through this very difficult time for our country," he added.

Teachers claim substitute measures will cost state more

Published: 08 December 2008

Source : Irish Examiner
PRIMARY school managers have warned that cuts in teacher substitution will result in greater cost for the Government instead of savings, despite an invitation from Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe to talks aimed at resolving the issue.

Their statement was made as up to 60,000 people took to the streets of Dublin on Saturday to protest against the substitution measures and other education cutbacks in the 2009 budget.

The crowds marched through the city centre to Merrion Square, where leaders of the four teacher unions were among those to address the crowds in relation to staffing changes which will increase class sizes and, at second level, restrict subject choices.

The massive turnout came two days after Mr O'Keeffe announced extra funding to increase the level of substitution cover which second-level schools can provide from January for teacher absences. He also invited primary school managers to discuss ways of finding savings which would allow similar arrangements for the 3,300 primary schools.

A statement from bodies representing primary school boards said they welcome his openness to discussions, but they still believe the substitution measures will result in unjustifiable levels of disruption in schools and additional costs to the State.

Mr O'Keeffe has said that from January the Department of Education will not pay for a substitute if a teacher's sick leave is uncertified.

But it has been suggested that teachers are more likely to get a doctor's certificate if they miss just one day through illness because the school would otherwise be unable to call in a substitute.

They might then stay out of work for the duration of the certificate, meaning a substitute being paid for a few days instead of just one day. "We look forward to engaging with the minister and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation to ensure the substitution issue is resolved. Unless this is resolved, it may become an embarrassing 'cost cutting measure' that increases state expenditure," the management bodies said.

"Our statements on the counter-productive, short-sighted and costly nature of the budget measures on education, cannot be dismissed as mere apologies for the agenda of trades unions," they said.

The campaign against the cuts has been described by some as self-interest by teacher unions, particularly in relation to class sizes.

Mr O'Keeffe has said the quality of teachers is the most important aspect and that the cuts will not be reversed.

Our teachers are not being heard

Published: 08 December 2008

Source : Irish Examiner

Our teachers are not being heard
Michelle Hoban (Letters, December 5) wrote that it is unfair of teachers to be pushing the issue of class sizes at a time when thousands of workers are losing their jobs.

The increase in class sizes means that some teachers will also lose their jobs.

In some private companies, employees have been given the choice between redundancy and a reduction in their salaries and have chosen the latter. If teachers make the same choice, the increase in class sizes might be avoided and, therefore, there might be no redundancies in the teaching profession.

I do not believe that the leadership of the teachers' unions is giving teachers, who will lose their jobs if the increase in class sizes takes place, a chance to make their voices heard.

All-ages protest gives leaders a lesson in placard power

Published: 08 December 2008

Source : Irish Times

MARY MINIHAN

Mon, Dec 08, 2008

LOTS OF little protesters in pushchairs and prams dominated the big march against education cuts on Saturday.

"I've never seen so many babies in buggies," said Irish National Teachers' Organisation steward Gerri McGeady, as the demonstration wheeled past Trinity College.

It certainly was a family affair. Jackie Ferguson from Ratoath, Co Meath, was pushing two-year-old Conor, while big sister Tara (6) walked along with granny Marie.

"All the parents and teachers here demonstrating are totally disgusted with what the Government has done. They're just discriminating against children who are too young to understand, they're not discriminating against the banks," said Ms Ferguson. "I don't think the Minister knows what he's doing, it's as simple as that. He's already changed his mind on something he said he wouldn't change his mind on."

Back on O'Connell Street, a lively group of girls from Eureka Secondary School in Kells sang to the tune of When the Saints Go Marching In. "We will be stupid, really really stupid/ Oh when the teachers lose their jobs," they chorused.

Anne Feehan, a primary school teacher from Navan, wiped the noses of her pre-school age children, who were bundled up against the cold. "I worry for these guys," she said. "We feel this is the thin end of the wedge. They start here and where will it end?" A group of Romanian musicians with accordions and tambourines wandered into the the protest. "Play us a tune, lads," yelled a sporty-looking redhead, banging his hurling stick on the footpath. They obliged.

Some of those marching the middle of the demonstration, which began at Parnell Square and ended in Merrion Square South, had no concept of its size. Some Cabinteely teachers said: "We're hoping it's massive. Is it big?" It certainly was.

The teaching unions had distributed neat, laminated placards featuring the standard protest slogans. But it was the home-made, back-of-a-cereal box signs which stood out. Mums and dads carried signs saying: "Money for manicures but not for books"; "Don't let our small guys become their fall guys"; "Don't let these snakes stop your children climbing the ladder".

Youngsters too had been busy with their colouring pencils and glitter glue. There was the touching "All I want for Christmas is my teacher" and the humorous "E=mc2? I guess I'll never know".

And then there were many lampooning Minister for Education Batt O'Keefe: "Battman is Robin us"; "Batt out of hell"; "Batt O'Thief" and the vividly illustrated "Vampire Batt: sucking the life from our school".

Lunch boxes were opened on Merrion Square South. Some weary children sat on their placards to eat their sandwiches before being hoisted on to parents' shoulders to hear INTO president Declan Kelleher roar into the microphone as Gaeilge.

Speaker after speaker said the education cutbacks lacked care, humanity and compassion.

Whistles were blown and a bodhrán was beaten. Chants of "No more cuts" were taken-up. The crowd booed every time Mr O'Keefe's name was mentioned.

As the peaceful protest dispersed, placards were neatly propped against the railings of Merrion Square Gardens.

Later on Merrion Street on Saturday night, stilettos clicked over one discarded sign. It asked: "If we tolerate this, what will be next?"