Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Last Monday night, I attended an INTO meeting in the Brandon conference centre in Tralee, which was attended by approximately 350 parents and teachers who are concerned about education. This is a difficult time but we must not show self-pity. We must accept that despite austerity not being our policy, an austerity budget will be introduced as a consequence of the economic mismanagement of previous Governments. I remind Deputies that a number of so-called Independent Deputies backed previous Fianna Fáil-led Governments every step of the way and, as such, they are as culpable as the Fianna Fáil Deputies who sat in this Chamber during that period.

I find it difficult at the best of times to listen Sinn Féin condemn our policy of seeking to fix problems. Sinn Féin is directly in charge of education in Northern Ireland. Under the current Minister for Education, Mr. John O'Dowd, and his predecessors, Catriona Ruane and Martin McGuinness, one of the most controversial elements of the party's policy has been the so-called sustainable schools policy which has resulted in the wholesale closure of schools. The cuts being imposed in the education budget in Northern Ireland will amount to €630 million between 2011 and 2015, which is a much higher figure per capita than the cuts in this part of the country. The third level education contribution paid by students is also higher in Northern Ireland than it is in the Republic.

Under a Sinn Féin Minister, dozens of primary schools face closure or amalgamation and the future of hundreds of other primary schools has been cast into doubt as a result of a review of all primary schools carried out by the Minister. Sixteen schools, including ten primary Catholic schools, are to close, with six Catholic primary schools closing in the Southern Education and Library Board area alone. Five state schools and one preparatory school have been told they are to close, bringing to 87 the number of schools that have been closed by Sinn Féin Ministers for Education in the past ten years. A further 45 schools will be amalgamated, including 16 Catholic schools, 20 state controlled schools and nine schools in Belfast. More than 300 schools face further review and possible closure or merger on an area or parish basis.

It is amazing that Sinn Féin has the audacity to come down here and tell us at every juncture that what we are doing is completely wrong.

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