Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

With due respect to Deputy O'Mahony, I am aware of the voluntarism associated with sport over the years. Having been involved myself, I have seen the amount of time that people put in, as well as the commitment of school teachers throughout this period. The last thing I wish to take away is their goodwill. My point is certain provisions now must be taken on the basis we cannot afford to continue to pay in 2009 the present level of supports. It was a choice either of this or of taking out teachers. I believe that having as many teachers as possible in the classroom is paramount. I ask teachers' unions, managements and everyone involved, given the times we face, to get out of this fiscal mess——

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