Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I do not know if it is a circle which can be squared to say on the one hand that we had no choice but to make these cuts and on the other that we will protect the integrated model of education. Let us be clear that the integrated model of education is of critical importance for vulnerable students, including students with special needs, Travellers, and primary schoolchildren with language needs, as well as for the whole education system. The 15% cuts in resource teachers and the removal of language support teachers and support teachers for Traveller children have created serious pressure, added to which is the fact that 10,000 extra children are going into primary school every year. It poses very serious questions about whether that model can in fact be protected. Indeed, it would be useful if the Minister of State could provide a guarantee that there will be no further education cuts affecting the primary school sector and special needs supports in the coming budget. NERI said recently that these education cuts, particularly in primary education, were the most damaging socially and as regards the long-term economic future of our country. Can we get assurances in that regard?

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