Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Just after the budget the Minister told the House the net effect would be the loss of 200 teachers. He is now telling the House that the net effect on mainstream teachers will be 254. Is that not a fact? Is that only a minimal figure because it does not consider the reduction in English language support, special needs and home-school community liaison teachers? There will be 1,000 redundancies in the primary sector this year when one takes the totality of those cuts across the sectors. Will the Minister comment on that? Earlier I asked the Minister if he can give a categorical assurance to the House that there will be no further cutbacks in education this year in the primary and post-primary sectors and I would like to hear his views on that.

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