Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Speaking on "Morning Ireland" earlier today, the general secretary of ASTI, Mr. Pat King, said, "Our intention is to protect education as far as we can. Our dispute is about the quality and disintegration of education." I salute the members of ASTI for rejecting the Haddington Road agreement and for making that stand.

I absolutely and utterly disagree with the points made by the Taoiseach this morning when he implied that ASTI was a lone voice in the wilderness. That seems to be an approach whereby the Minister, Deputy Quinn, is also trying to pigeonhole the ASTI. The reality, however, is that ASTI members represent the voice and concerns of all parents and students, as well as many of their colleagues in the TUI and other unions. They are also voicing the concerns of many public sector workers who rejected Haddington Road in round one, and many others who voted for it due to a feeling of coercion.

The ASTI union members' stance is a very important one and I want to put on record my support for them. It is economic lunacy to cut back funding in education; it goes against everything for which the Labour Party was set up. It also goes against everything the Minister said while on the Opposition benches. Even the most conservative estimates would tell him that an investment of €1 per child at primary level yields a return of €4, €5 or €6 to the economy later on, not to mind what it does for a child's individual development.

Children are now being left behind by this Government. The Minister has a choice, he has funds and leeway. Increasing class sizes and making teachers pay is not the way forward. It is not what James Connolly established the Labour Party to do. We appeal to the Minister to reverse the decision. I fully support the motion tabled by Sinn Féin.

See this speech in context