Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

Last Saturday, I learned from parents and teachers in Carrick-on-Suir that eight of the 25 teaching posts at the Presentation primary school there are being withdrawn by the Minister. The school received notification of this on 29 February last. The loss of this number of teaching posts is unacceptable. This, effectively, is an assault on students and teachers at the school and on the community in Carrick-on-Suir. Four of the posts concerned are pre-DEIS posts allocated under the giving children an even break scheme, two are learning support posts, one is a language support post, which allocation was, as stated by Deputy Crowe, granted because there are many children in the school whose first language is not English. The final post is being drawn based on enrolment regulations. While enrolment at the school was down by seven on 1 September last it may have increased by 1 September next. However, the post will have been withdrawn.

The withdrawal of these eight teaching posts is a bolt out of blue for the school and is devastating news for the local community. These posts were allocated to the school in 2006 on the basis of social issues, including that Carrick-on-Suir is a RAPID town. One might wonder what has happened since to support the withdrawal of these eight teaching posts. However, nothing has happened except that the situation in Carrick-on-Suir has worsened. For example, on the date the Department sent notification to the school of the withdrawal of these teaching posts there were more than 2,000 unemployed people in Carrick-on-Suir. When the four posts allocated to the school under the Giving Children an Even Break scheme was made there were 958 unemployed in that town. Unemployment in Carrick-on-Suir has more than doubled in the intervening time.

As I stated, this is unacceptable. I call on the Minister to immediately reverse the decision to withdraw these teaching posts.

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