Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There has been no reduction in front-line services in this year’s budget, in particular for DEIS schools. There are increasing pressures across the system because of the economic circumstances in which we find ourselves. As a former national school teacher himself, Deputy McGrath is aware that the majority of disadvantaged young people are not necessarily in DEIS schools. There are many such young people in regular schools who are suffering disadvantage as a result of changed circumstances in the home. Some principal teachers have brought to my attention the fact that they are running informal breakfast clubs through their own efforts to address the issue raised by Deputy McGrath whereby young children in a home in some cases might be the first up and out in the morning and are coming to school without a proper breakfast. The situation is not satisfactory and when the economy recovers, we will have to address such issues.

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