Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

When we tabled the motion, we actively encouraged parents and teachers to lobby Government backbenchers but, in particular, Labour Party Deputies. I am pleased to see that teachers, parents and communities have mobilised strongly on the issue. At the time of the general election the line was that one should put the Labour Party in government to remove the sharp edges off Fine Gael. It now turns out that in reality, parents and teachers in disadvantaged areas are called upon to put the fire under the Labour Party backbenchers to rein in their own Minister. This is a very strange turn of events. The Minister promised a review and his colleagues seem to be delighted with this. We do not want a review; we want the Minister to reverse these cuts. I take it from listening to his colleagues on the Labour Party and, indeed, the Fine Gael benches, that they are assuming a review will result in a reversal of the cuts. The Minister has not made that commitment. He has told the House he will look at each school individually, that he will examine each school in depth. That is what he has told the House. My colleagues have already made the very reasonable point that this level of analysis and investigation ought to have been carried out before the Minister announced he would axe these teaching posts. However, in announcing his review, he has not even set out the parameters of it. What precisely will be measured? When he says he will look at each school individually, what exactly does that mean? How does he address the real concern among very many communities and teachers that favour might be given to one school or one community and withheld from another? I think the Minister's review is an admission that he has got this wrong and I do not think he needs me to tell him. The review may, I hope, be his political way of getting out of this situation and reversing his decision. I hope this is the case. However, I cannot stand here confidently today and say that this is so.

When the vote on this motion is called, I appeal to Members on all sides and in particular, to Labour Party Deputies, who have stated clearly their commitment to quality education and equality of opportunity and outcome for our children. I appeal to them, those who see the good sense, the logic and the decency of the Sinn Féin motion, to support our position. I ask them to examine and consider very carefully whether the Minister's review will deliver. They seem to think so. I do not know whether the Minister has said privately to his own backbenchers that this is a manoeuvre or a staging post for a reversal. I do not know if that is the case. What I do know is that what the Minister needs to do is to tell this House that he will not go ahead with these cuts. It is as simple as that. I daresay that those Labour Party Deputies, in particular, and, indeed, Fine Gael Deputies, who are now applauding the Minister for his review, will look at him rather differently if his review comes back and the decision is that it has been examined and that they are going ahead to axe these hundreds of teaching posts. I urge Deputies to err on the side of caution, support the motion that supports children, that supports schools and which, with no apology, asserts that each of our children deserves and will be given equality of opportunity, particularly our kids in disadvantaged areas.

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