Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The Minister set out to cut education by €132 million. There was a time when the Labour Party claimed to believe in free universal education. Today, the Minister levied a range of cuts that will ensure the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairi Quinn, will end up attacking education as a right. Where will I start? There will be a hike in the cost to families of school transport; a reduction of 2% in core funding for higher education; a reduction in school capitation grants which the Minister knows are already pathetically low and every parent who has organised a fundraiser or cake sale for a school can attest to this; a 20% cut in funding for students with a disability; a 3% cut in maintenance grants; and the hiking up of registration fees by €250 for third level students.

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