Dáil debates

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Private Members' Business - Cuts in Education: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]

 

7:40 pm

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We look forward to debating that in the committee.

The amendment tabled by the Minister states, "education services have been protected despite the immense challenges posed to the financial sustainability of our nation".

I am of the view that not even the Minister believes that to be a credible statement. How could anyone say that our education services have been protected in light of the fact that in 2012 some €132 million was taken out of the system and last year €77 million was removed? We do not know how much is going to be taken this year but it could be anything up to €100 million. This means that almost €300 million would have been removed in three years. It is simply disingenuous for anyone, particularly a Minister, to state that education services have been protected despite this level of cuts.

The Minister stated that there is a need to inject an element of realism. Let us do that. The reality is that the education system is being dismantled cut by cut. One need only consider some of the measures which have been introduced since the Minister came to office. I refer to the change in staffing schedules for small schools, cuts to maintenance grants, the increase in student contribution fees, the scrapping of the minor works grant, changes to school transport schemes, changes to the PTR, the loss of guidance counsellors and cuts in further education. As a result of all of this, the teacher populating is becoming increasingly demoralised. That is the reality which exists.

The budget is approximately three weeks away, yet we do not know how much is going to have to be saved within the education budget. How do the Minister, his Ministers of State and the Department plan ahead in such circumstances? How can they contemplate the long-term strategic plan everyone wants to put in place in the area of education if they do not even know the type of savings they are going to be obliged to make? In the next three weeks, the Minister is going to be given a figure and he will then make a number of decisions. Some of those decisions are going to be rushed as a result of the fact that we do not yet know the exact amount of savings it will be necessary to make. This brings into focus the need for budget-proofing announcements. Deputy Mac Lochlainn brought forward legislation prior to the summer recess which would give effect to the latter. We have seen the consequences relating to announcements made by the Minister's Department in the two most recent budgets. In that context, no impact analysis was carried out and the decisions in question had to be reversed. In fairness, the Minister took people's views on board and made those reversals.

The Minister placed a great deal of emphasis on the success of the DEIS programme during his contribution. He stated:

Retention rates in disadvantaged schools have improved even more markedly due in large part to the supports offered through the DEIS action plan for educational inclusion. I will be pleased to discuss the reasons the action plan is working on another occasion. Retention rates for DEIS second level schools increased by almost 12% over a five year period, between pupils who entered second level in 2001 and those who entered in 2006. There is clear evidence that the DEIS programme is having a positive effect in tackling educational disadvantage and is an example of funding well spent.
Despite the latter claim, when the Government introduced its first budget the Minister wanted to dismantle the DEIS programme.

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