Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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On budget day, it was very hard to determine the true impact of the various budgetary measures on our education system. As all the details have emerged since then, it has become clear that the first budget of the Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, amounted to a direct attack on the old, the sick and the young. I am pleased to have an opportunity this evening to speak on behalf of the younger generation — the students of today, who will be the leaders of tomorrow. The only way this country's economy will get off its knees is by ensuring that every pupil can avail of the best possible educational system. I propose to highlight the plight of two schools in Ennis, County Clare — St. Flannan's College and Coláiste Mhuire.

I am a past pupil of St. Flannan's College, which has an outstanding record of giving all students a top-class education. The college produces students who are leaders in academic and sporting fields. It is a renowned academy for hurling, in particular. Its past pupils include hurlers such as Jamesie O'Connor, who is now a teacher at the college, Anthony Daly, Davy Fitzgerald and John Callinan. St. Flannan's College is rich in history and achievement. The college, which caters for boys and girls, has 1,150 pupils and 79 teachers. Coláiste Mhuire is an all-girls secondary school. Since its foundation, the school has had an excellent reputation throughout County Clare and the rest of Ireland for offering its students first-class educational opportunities. Coláiste Mhuire has 550 pupils and a teaching staff of 43.

The proposed cutbacks in education will have serious implications for St. Flannan's College and Coláiste Mhuire. All 17 secondary schools in County Clare will be affected in the same way. The increase in the pupil-teacher ratio from 18:1 to 19:1 will result in the loss of two secondary school teachers, on average, in every school in Clare. Such a loss of teachers will have a ripple effect in every school. It will curtail subject choice. The transition year programme will be reduced in scale or even discontinued. These cutbacks will put massive pressure on the leaving certificate applied programme. They will bring about the loss of home school programmes. From 7 January next, the proposed changes in substitution cover will result in students being unable to participate in field trips as part of the school curriculum in subjects like geography and biology. Sporting activities will be curtailed. Schools are also set to lose the free book scheme.

If the cutbacks are implemented, St. Flannan's College will lose four or five teachers and Coláiste Mhuire will lose two teachers. Such staff losses will present the principals and staff of the schools with major problems when timetables are being planned. When taken with the proposed cuts in substitution cover, it is clear that a nightmare situation will develop, particularly as these changes are to be made in the middle of the school year.

The four Deputies who represent the Clare constituency recently met the principals of all the secondary schools in the county. We were told that if the substitution issue is not addressed, there will be massive disruption and an increase in indiscipline in schools. I do not doubt that students and teachers will suffer increased stress if the Minister proceeds with his plan to grab money without any purpose. The Minister's decision to abolish the free book scheme in the recent budget represented a direct attack on the poor. This year, the bill under the scheme in St. Flannan's College was €18,500. Some 90 students availed of the scheme in Coláiste Mhuire. If the Government has its way, this grant will not be available next year and parents will be placed in an impossible financial position. School books for first year students cost €329.15 and books for leaving certificate students cost €362.15. Does it make sense for the Minister to remove this grant at a time when 10,000 people are joining the dole queues every month?

A crisis will emerge in our schools early next year when substitute cover is no longer provided for teachers who are away from the classroom on school business. Field trips form an important part of the curriculum in subjects like geography, biology and civic, social and political education. In the absence of proper substitution cover, these vital activities will become a thing of the past. Sporting and cultural activities give students who find it hard to engage in the school system an opportunity to excel. Coláiste Mhuire has a 90-member award-winning choir. It offers a wide range of sporting activities, including badminton, basketball and camogie. St. Flannan's College is well known for its success, particularly on the hurling field. It provides a full spectrum of other sports for boys and girls. All of these activities will be placed in jeopardy if the Minister proceeds with his plan to withdraw the substitution cover that has been provided before now. What purpose do these cuts serve? How will they assist the development of a child? How will they help society? How will they address problems such as obesity?

I appeal to the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to radically rethink the proposed cutbacks in education. Investment in education at pre-school, primary, secondary and third levels is critically important for the future well-being of this country. The Minister should listen to the parents and pupils who have been marching on the streets of this country in opposition to the cuts. He should listen to teachers who have practical knowledge of the effect the cuts will have. I appeal to the Minister to reverse the disastrous education cuts outlined in budget 2009.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and giving me an opportunity to outline the impact of the budget measures at post-primary level. Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. The 2009 budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure in the interests of controlling expenditure and ensuring sustainability in the long term. While the education sector was protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, it could not be entirely spared. The Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, acknowledges the impact of funding restrictions in a number of areas, including at school level. They are the inevitable result of the need to manage Exchequer resources prudently in the current challenging economic environment. One of the decisions that was taken involves increasing the pupil-teacher ratio across all second level schools from 18:1 to 19:1. In the case of fee-charging post-primary schools, there will be an additional one-point adjustment to 20:1.

The impact of the staffing schedule changes and the withdrawal of historic DEIS and language support posts needs to be considered alongside the expected increases in teacher numbers in certain areas, for demographic reasons, and the appointment of additional resource teachers for special needs. In that context, it is likely that there will be an overall net reduction of 200 posts at second level. This number represents less than 1% of all teaching posts in second level schools. When examined as part of the targeted payroll reduction in the public sector as a whole, it is a demonstration of the Government's desire to protect front-line staff in schools to the greatest extent possible.

As the processing of the September 2008 enrolment returns for post-primary schools has not yet been finalised, it is not possible to outline to the House the impact of such changes on the allocation of mainstream teaching posts for the 2009-10 school year in the schools in question. The staffing schedule for the 2009-10 school year will be issued to all schools as soon as possible. A more accurate indication of mainstream staffing levels will be available at that time. The allocation processes include appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocations due to them under the staffing schedules. This is particularly relevant at post-primary level where the appellate process takes particular account of any specific curricular needs of the school concerned. At post-primary level there is currently no effective system-wide redeployment scheme and this can mean that schools retain teachers, though over-quota. In addition, discrete allocations may be made to post-primary schools to cater, for example, for pupils with special educational needs and those with language difficulties. These allocations can also alter the ultimate position of the school in regard to any over-quota position.

The Department is aware of funding pressures on schools. However, progress has been made in recent years that has seen the post-primary capitation grant increased by €15 per pupil to a total of €331 per pupil. In addition, voluntary secondary schools have benefited from the increase of €15 per pupil in 2008 in the support services grant, bringing that grant to €204 per pupil.

The cumulative increase of €30 per pupil in voluntary secondary schools brings the aggregate grant to €535 per pupil. These grants are in addition to the per capita funding of up to €40,000 per school that is also provided by the Department to secondary schools towards secretarial and caretaking services. Budget allocations for schools in the community and comprehensive school sector, along with those in the VEC sector, are increased on a pro rata basis with increases in the per capita grant. All schools are eligible for recurrent per capita grants towards special classes and curricular support grants.

The funding mechanisms in place afford schools considerable flexibility in the use of their resources to cater for the needs of their pupils. The Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, appreciates that the abolition of several grants for some schools will impact on funding levels in 2009. However, the enhanced levels of funding announced in the budget for the capitation and ancillary services grants will help to alleviate the impact of this.

I thank the Deputy for providing me with the opportunity to address the House on this matter and for the information he has provided on the schools in question. I appreciate the opportunity to outline the current position on these general issues.