Clare teachers protest in Dublin

Clare primary teachers and local union representatives protested on the streets of Dublin on Wednesday amid a groundswell of opposition over the impact on proposed staff and support services cuts on national schools throughout the county.

It follows the Government’s decision to increase the pupil-to-teacher ratio in small rural schools from next September as part of cost-saving measures.
The demonstration was held outside Leinster House where a Fianna Fáil motion to reverse the planned budget cut was voted on.
Community and sporting organisations are being urged to attend a public meeting in Clare inside the next three weeks to prevent what has been described as an attack on the lifeblood of rural parts of the county.
INTO national representative, Séan McMahon issued a call for organisations like the IFA, GAA, Oireachtas members, public representatives and boards of management to unite with teachers opposing proposed cuts to small schools and schools addressing children from disadvantaged communities, as well as counterproductive changes to learning support and resource hours.
The union hasn’t ruled out organising a local demonstration, depending on the outcome of the public meeting. Over 300 primary schools teachers were in defiant mood following an address by national INTO secretary, Sheila Nunan at a delegate meeting in the West County Hotel, Ennis, on Monday night.
Teachers pledged to kickstart a new campaign to fight these cuts.
At the time of going to press, the Department of Education hadn’t responded to points raised by Mr McMahon.
Details of a 50% cut in staffing at Killaloe Boys’ National School will be outlined at a public meeting in the school this Thursday night at 7pm. The staff team there will be cut from nine teachers and five special needs assistants last June to 6.5 teachers and one SNA next September.
Mr McMahon urged Clare’s five Government members to listen to their genuine concerns and bring them back to Cabinet. “I believe rural Ireland isn’t going to allow the removal of schools. We have watched the decline of post offices, garda stations; I think people are standing up and refusing to accept they may lose local schools.
“If people witness closures of schools and attacks on cohesion of communities this will remembered at the next General Election,” he warned.
Mr McMahon said staff in 63 small rural and urban Clare schools with less than 90 pupils are terrified of the proposed cuts.
“Schools on the cusp, with between 49 and 50 pupils, are terrified they are going to lose a third teacher next year. Their pupil-to-teacher ratio will be 26 or 27 to one. Schools with between 80 and 86 pupils will lose their fourth teacher and they again will have a difficulty. Schools who had 12 or 14 kids will have to have 20 children,” he said.
He accused Education Minister Ruairi Quinn of holding a “loaded gun” over schools by introducing changes next September, which does not give communities and schools enough time to formulate the best strategy for education delivery.
“Remove ammunition, give schools time to sit down and consult with parents and the community. Lets take a step back minister, take time out. Let’s not impose cuts retrospectively and use figures that were in the school last September,” he said.