Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe said today the Government would not row back on Budget cutbacks that will see an increase in class sizes around the State.
Some 200 primary and 200 secondary teacher positions are set to be cut to reach a Budget projection of saving €96 million per year, a saving needed in difficult economic circumstances, according to Mr O'Keeffe. However, the move will lead to increased class sizes and has sparked criticism from teachers and unions.
Speaking from China, where he is attending a trade mission, Mr O’Keeffe said: "I can’t row back in the economic circumstances that pertain.
"What I'm saying to teachers and to teacher unions let's have a partnership here. This is in the long-term interest of Ireland," he said on RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
"We cannot sustain ourselves for the next two years without restricting the amount of money we spend and I’m saying to teachers in the classroom, yes there are going to be difficulties for you and for everyone else around the country."
Parents, school managers and teacher unions will launch a joint campaign on Friday to reverse the education cuts that will also hit substitution cover in schools.
Teacher unions and school managers told senior Department of Education officials yesterday that the budget changes were unworkable at the regular meeting of the Education Conciliation Council. No move to resolve the growing crisis over the education cuts is expected until after Mr O’Keeffe returns from China this weekend.
Into general secretary John Carr said another Government U-turn was needed following row-backs on medical cards and the 1 per cent income levy yesterday. According to the union, the decision to increase class sizes would see nine out of every 10 primary pupils in the country in classes of 20 or more.
“Next year there will 450,000 primary children in classes of 20 or more and over 100,000 in classes of over 30 pupils," said Mr Carr.
Fine Gael claimed today the Government has no idea how many teachers there are employed in the State. The claim came after Tánaiste Mary Coughlan was asked by Enda Kenny during Leader’s Questions in the Dáil this morning how many teachers there were in Ireland and what affect Government plans to teacher numbers would have on class sizes.
“Next year, 100,000 pupils will be in classes of over 30 and more than 450,000 primary school children will be in classes of more than 20,’’ said Mr Kenny.
He called on Ms Coughlan to publish the latest teacher enrolment figures “so that we can verify who’s telling the truth here and what the actual scale of the cutbacks are going to be”.
Ms Coughlan said the Department of Education received figures from schools last month on their teacher numbers but it was unclear whether is “has completed its analysis.” A circular detailing the final figure was usually not available until around Easter.
“I’m sure that if the leader of the Opposition wishes to spend his time looking at how we are going to send out a circular arising from this discussion I’m sure he can be facilitated,” she said.
Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes claimed Ms Coughlan’s failure to answer showed the Government didn’t know how many teachers there were in the country. “How can Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe credibly claim to know the impact of increased pupil/teacher ratios if he has no idea of the numbers of pupils?,” he asked.
Mr Kenny called on the Government to impose a pay freeze on teachers earning over €50,000 a year, which he said would save the State €128 million a year and still preserve class sizes.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said his party would table a Dáil private members motion on the issue of class sizes next week. The party is hoping to put the issue at the top of the political agenda next week.