Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The use of terms like "alleviation" and "legacy posts" means nothing to the principals who are teaching these pupils on the ground. They are annoyed and angry because teaching posts are being lost despite the progress that had been made. As the principals said in the letter I mentioned earlier, "there has been a quiet revolution over the past number of years in DEIS schools, where children learn through the caring relationships they have with teachers in smaller classes and through small group work". That is what the people on the ground are saying. The Taoiseach's words will not give them any comfort or consolation. He has confirmed that these measures will be implemented. It is the wrong decision. Why are the most vulnerable children who need the greatest assistance taking the brunt of these cuts? I am not the only one saying this. The ESRI confirmed it last Thursday in its assessment of the impact of this budget, by comparison with other budgets, when it stated:

These results over this four-year period show a strongly progressive pattern, with the lowest income group losing by about 2 per cent and the highest losing by 11 per cent. The scale of the progressive impact of earlier budgets, which raised income tax, abolished the ceiling on PRSI payments, and introduced the universal social charge is much greater than the regressive impact of Budget 2012.

That is an independent analysis of last week's budget. The Government has made the wrong choices. Those on the lowest rung of the ladder and the most disadvantaged will suffer as a result. I cannot understand what the Labour Party was doing when it oversaw cuts of this nature as long ago as 9 September.

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