Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State should clarify what alleviation has been provided. He mentioned ten posts previously, but I believe they were specific to County Dublin Vocational Education Committee, and he might outline what alleviation is being offered to other VECs. The provision of some alleviation is a sign of the impact this cut is having. At the time of its implementation, I tabled a Private Members' motion in this Chamber on behalf of my party to highlight the impact of the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio for further education from 17:1 to 19:1, namely, that more than 200 whole-time equivalent posts would be taken out of the further education sector, as well as the impact this would have on many colleges. It was the wrong way to go about it and this alleviation is unlikely to undo some of the damage that will be done by the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio. Has the Minister of State received feedback from those VECs to which the additional temporary posts have been assigned on how they think this will address the problems they have highlighted to him and the impact assessments they have drawn up?

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