TEACHING MATTERS:In what seems like the blink of an eye the world has changed, changed utterly.

Just last year, the election manifestos of all parties predicted - at the very least - another seven years of plenty. Now, like Egypt in the Old Testament, it seems we are looking at seven years of famine.

What is becoming very obvious is that in Ireland's case, there wasn't a Joseph making wise provision for a downturn.

But since we got a dose of reality, predictions of widespread, savage cuts have dampened expectations in recent weeks. Many in the education world would actually view it as some sort of a win if today's Budget actually ignored education. So grim are the forecasts that there's a rumour some schools even had their doorposts marked with lamb's blood so the budgetary angel of death would pass over them! What a change from the years of plenty when everyone involved in primary education tried to get government to look at it. "Look at the state of school buildings," was a regular mantra. All types of problems were highlighted, from rat infestations, leaking roofs and draughty windows to classes in corridors, cloakrooms and converted toilets.

However, when it came to school buildings, many schools felt they got little more than a sideways glance.

Instead of tackling sub- standard, overcrowded schools in a coherent, planned and efficient manner, the typical response from the Department of Education and Science was, year after year, to provide prefabs to cope with increased numbers of children or to get children out of third-world conditions. In too many cases, it seemed the only strategy was to pitch another prefab at a school and keep them quiet for another year.

Although every school knew this was treating the symptoms not curing the problem, many local politicians told schools that they were priority projects. "It's next on the Minister's list. It's in the next announcement." In these circumstances the schools accepted yet another prefab in the hope that for once, the politicians were telling the truth.

Now, the chickens have come home to roost. Schools all over the country are still dealing with increased enrolments but have run out of space for prefabs. The only place left for prefabs to colonise is the last bit of the children's playgrounds.

And the local politicians who cajoled schools for years have now had an attack of amnesia. Instead of remembering their promises of support to these schools, their attention is on bailing out the banks.

Schools, many of whom got their first prefab during the last recession, are expected to go to the back of the queue. Schools are now getting promises from politicians that they'll deliver "when resources permit".

If there is to be any fairness in today's Budget, then school buildings must get priority. We may be poor again, but are we really so poor that we are prepared to let our children be taught in sports clubs, decades- old prefabs or schools that pose a risk to health and safety? We may or may not be on an economic Titanic?

But if we are really heading for the iceberg of economic collapse, then, are we happy to accept that - unlike 1912, when children were a priority - in 2008, should bankers now get the lifeboats?

We await Minister Lenihan's verdict later today.

• Aidan Gaughran is a primary teacher in Clonmel, Co Tipperary