Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

I take it from the Minister's response that he is not going to change his mind on these cuts. To suggest that withdrawing 420 posts would enhance a child's educational opportunity is utterly perverse. The Minister described this as a legacy issue. What will the Minister's legacy be? It will be that he dismantled the invaluable work done in communities with DEIS schools.

The Minister may not be for changing his mind now but he should be on notice that in the communities and constituencies in which these schools will be hammered by him, he will face a battle not just from the teachers but from the parents and community at large.

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