Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The annual Education at a Glance report published by the OECD found that Ireland's investment in education as a percentage of GDP is ranked lowest in the OECD. That is the reality. As regards the teaching unions, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, has warned that schools are in urgent need of a significant increase in funding. Similarly, the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, raised concerns regarding students from disadvantaged backgrounds and that the refusal by the Government to invest appropriately will only serve to widen inequality in Irish society. Indeed, research published recently by Dr. JoAnne Mancini of Maynooth University provides evidence of just how deep educational inequality in Ireland really is. The research found that State investment in post-primary education in Dublin 8 was radically lower than it was in Dublin 4 and Dublin 6. In Dublin 4, 99% of children go on to higher education, compared with just 28% of children in Dublin 8. That is one example; I could give more. The study also found that the Department of Education's planning decisions on school builds are serving to exacerbate rather than remedy inequality. Such is the case for Gaelscoil Coláiste Mhuire in Dublin 1, which is still not out to tender and has been refused DEIS status.

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