Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Why is the Government planning to abolish financial support for postgraduate students from next year? Why is it continuing to strip special needs assistants from children who need them? Why is the Government planning on taking up to 2,000 teaching posts out of the system in the budget? Instead of playing a little game of tit for tat on this issue, why does the Tánaiste not just spell out why he does not honour pledges? Why are pledges so important before an election if, after an election, they can be torn up? If the Government does not honour the pledge that the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Quinn, signed, can we expect them to follow the example of Deputy Penrose and stand by their principles?

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