Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

There is no silver bullet for solving all the problems of any state. However, there is one remarkably powerful tool, that is, education. Education can allow every individual in the State to achieve his or her full potential. It is also the great leveller. It can allow for equal opportunity throughout the State. Education can break the cycle of poverty and can free people from disadvantaged areas not only those of this generation but the generations that come after them as well. Education can save this State billions of euro by creating a healthy, functional and productive society free from the social ills that have cost the State greatly on a human and financial level. Education is the way forward to a robust economy. How many times in the Chamber have we heard people refer to the smart economy and the knowledge economy? Given these facts one would imagine that education would be at the top of the Government's agenda and that Ireland would be at the top of the class when it comes to education. Unfortunately, the facts are at a polar opposite from the mountain of words mouthed by the Government on this issue.

Between this and the previous Government there has been a large number of cuts. Two years ago Ireland was well below average with regard to education and the average OECD spend. There have since been cuts to Traveller support teachers and English-as-an-acquired-language teachers, special needs assistants have been removed, home-school liaison officers have been removed and we have seen these attacks on DEIS schools. We have seen small schools come under major pressure in rural areas, go mórmhór na scoileanna sna ceantracha Gaeltachta.

I refer to guidance teachers and their posts. Guidance teachers are pivotal within the lives of young students. They provide IQ testing and they carry out aptitude, psychometric and interest testing. They help students pick the correct subjects for first year and by the time students get to their final year, guidance teachers help them to pick subjects for college or if they go further. They help students to fill out the CAO forms and, in some cases along the Border, UCAS forms. They help students to complete forms relating to post-leaving certificate courses and they help them to choose apprenticeships as well. These individuals also help people with disabilities in a significant way within schools. Guidance teachers help people to fill out forms such as disability access route education forms and forms relating to higher education access route schemes. Under section 9 of the 1998 Education Act all children in second level schools have a right to access guidance service within schools. If these teachers are cut there is a chance such schools would be operating outside legislation.

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