Dáil debates

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Private Members' Business, Special Educational Needs: Motion

 

7:00 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

— recognises the right of every child to equal opportunity through education as enshrined in Article 28.1 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and that the Education Act 1998 makes specific reference to provision for the education of persons with disabilities or special educational needs, and that a stated objective of the Act is "to give practical effect to the constitutional rights of children, including children who have a disability or other special educational needs";

— notes that the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 promotes inclusive education for children with special educational needs and confers on parents a series of rights in relation to their child with special educational needs;

— notes that Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) band one and DEIS band two schools provide essential support for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs, so that they are able to leave school with the skills necessary to fully participate in the social and economic activities of society and to live independent and fulfilled lives;

— notes that in total there are 199 DEIS band one schools, 32 of which were in the former Breaking the Cycle, BTC, programme that predated DEIS; DEIS band one BTC junior schools will operate a staffing schedule of 18:1; DEIS band one BTC senior schools will operate a staffing schedule of 24:1; vertical (junior and senior pupils) band one BTC schools will operate separate staffing schedules of 18:1 at junior and 24:1 at senior level;

— notes that other DEIS band one schools (167 schools that are not in BTC) will function as follows: DEIS band one junior schools will operate a staffing schedule of 20:1; DEIS band one senior schools will operate a staffing schedule of 24:1; DEIS band one vertical (junior and senior pupils) schools will operate a staffing schedule of 22:1;

— notes that junior DEIS schools are to be treated on a pupil-teacher ratio of an "alleviated" level: 18:1 from 15:1 and that DEIS band two schools will increase from a 24:1 ratio to 28:1;

— notes that a number of administrative principals are to be lost; the support teacher scheme is ending; the learning support system allocation changed and an estimated 250 teachers in DEIS disadvantaged primary schools are to be transferred to mainstream schools;

— notes that more than 428 DEIS teaching posts from 270 primary schools and 163 post-primary schools will be lost and that schools with classrooms designed to cater for a 15:1 pupil-teacher ratio will be unable to accommodate larger classroom sizes;

— commends the dedication and work of teaching staff in DEIS schools and recognises the incremental improvements that have resulted from dedicated programmes designed to help children who struggle to reach their educational potential;

— notes that the decision to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio from 22:1, as originally set out in Budget 2012, to 18:1, will still result in the significant loss of teachers to disadvantaged schools covered by DEIS band one and DEIS band two;

— acknowledges that cuts to DEIS schools will result in the dismantling of essential educational supports for pupils with a high level of need in school and that this is a continuation of past Government budgetary polices that have resulted in cuts in education services designed to assist children from marginalised and disadvantaged backgrounds;

— notes that many DEIS band one and DEIS band two schools have already lost a range of services including special needs assistants, Traveller allocation teachers and language support teachers and the withdrawal of visiting support teachers for Travellers, the phasing out by 2012 of senior Traveller training centres, all of which have contributed to improving numeracy and literacy standards;

— acknowledges that the loss of an estimated 700 plus career guidance counsellors in second level schools, as a result of the decision in Budget 2012 not to provide these posts on an ex-quota basis, will seriously reduce the level of support for children experiencing a range of emotional and learning difficulties;

— notes that it contradicts OECD recommendations to prioritise educational resources for socio-economically marginalised urban and rural areas and will undermine the Government's EU commitment to reaching the EU 2020 target of 10% early school leavers nationally;

— notes that the national literacy and numeracy strategy that has been prioritised by the Government and seen as essential to improving standards in schools will be undermined and will result in the loss of much of the progress that has been made in assisting children who have benefited greatly from the establishment of DEIS schools in 2005 and the Breaking the Cycle scheme which was initiated in 1996;

— acknowledges that the targeting of DEIS schools will have serious implications for society in the medium to long term, and will contribute to greater social exclusion of many young people who are unable to avail of a fair and equitable education;

— notes that this is yet another attack on some of the most vulnerable children and undermines the Government's commitment to protect the educational rights of children and those marginalised by poverty;

— notes that cuts in DEIS schools contrasts with the Government's prolonged review into State funding for private schools and its decision to implement a two-point increase in the staffing schedule in second level fee-paying schools, with one teacher for almost every 22 pupils;

— notes that phased staffing adjustments in small schools with fewer than five teachers will leave an estimated 1,500 small schools struggling with higher pupil-teacher ratios and will lead to the closure of many rural schools;

— calls upon the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, to rescind these cuts as a matter of urgency and protect the rights of children to obtain their education entitlement by ensuring DEIS schools are adequately funded and retain their current pupil-teacher ratio;

— calls upon the Government to retain the current scheme of giving DEIS band schools a "top up" allocation on the existing standard staffing schedule to enable them to implement reduced class sizes of 20:1 in junior classes and 24:1 in senior classes;

— calls upon the Government to reverse its decision to withdraw, from 2012, supports in some schools from disadvantage schemes predating DEIS;

— calls upon the Government to rescind its decision to cut teaching posts from DEIS band one and DEIS band two schools;

— calls upon the Government to reverse these indefensible cuts to essential education services which will impact on the life chances of young people and have broader ramifications for Irish society and its economy; and

— calls upon the Government to ring-fence funding and supports for DEIS band one and DEIS band two schools in order to break the cycle of deprivation, marginalisation and disadvantage and to promote fairness and equality.

Announcing his budget proposals in December, the Minister for Education and Skills said his focus was on protecting the most vulnerable. The Minister also spoke of maintaining the number of special needs assistants. This was a nonsense because the cull of special needs assistants had already started. Special educational needs officers, SENOs, and Department officials efficiently carried out the Minister's directive and children with special needs and behavioural problems were forced to cope without support and to manage with a reduced service. A total of 227 SNAs lost their jobs and were removed from the system and vulnerable children, their parents and teachers are still reeling from the fall-out from this decision.

The Minister's post-budget statement never mentioned Travellers and their particular educational needs. Their essential supports were decimated earlier in the year and the additional allocation given to schools removed. Services lost included resource teachers for Travellers, the withdrawal of visiting support teachers for Travellers, the reduction in resource hours for children with low incidence special needs, the proposed reduction in learning support teachers under the general allocation model and the phasing out by 2012 of senior Traveller training centres.

All of these services and specialised teaching posts contributed greatly to improving numeracy and literacy standards among children from the Traveller community and increased the number of Travellers successfully completing the junior certificate. It seems clear that when it comes to targeting vulnerable children, this Government, like its predecessors, has no conscience.

It would be helpful to the debate if Government Deputies would enlighten us on their thoughts on schools in their own constituencies. Do they believe there are too many teachers and, if so, could they outline what schools and what students deserve to lose their teachers? What DEIS band 1 or band 2 school deserves to lose one, two, three, four, five, six, or even nine teachers? One school in my area has estimated it could lose up to 12 teachers. Another school may lose a quarter of its teachers. These are not the exception but the new reality facing many schools following December's budget.

The question must be asked what child deserves to lose the potential for a better future through a decent education. I ask the Minister to please tell me. Is gadaithe iad Airí an Rialtais. Like thieves in the night, the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues have stolen the life chances of thousands of children throughout the State. What angers me and parents throughout the country is that regardless of the spin attempted to justify this budget, this is a savage attack on the most vulnerable.

I want to outline the backgrounds of some children who attend a DEIS school. This gives a stark reminder of why we need extra support in these schools. Only the nicknames have been changed. Tom's dad is in prison and his mum suffers from depression and has difficulty managing her three other children. Jack suffers from low self-esteem. John's mum and dad are recovering heroin addicts who are on methadone. They have a volatile relationship, often breaking up and getting back together. Bob has a stable family but his family has huge difficulties with their neighbours. Their windows have been smashed and their car damaged. Jim's dad is in prison and his mum has mental issues, and Jim is very withdrawn. Matt has poor social skills and is constantly pulling and hitting other children. He has great difficulty making friends. Ben is a Traveller whose dad is in prison for assault and his mum is at home with many, many children. Ben is volatile and his behaviour is unpredictable. Adam is volatile, his behaviour is unpredictable and the teacher is not sure of his home background. Gerald's older brother took his own life. Luke's mum is an alcoholic, his dad was murdered ten years ago, his older brother is in residential care and another brother died tragically. He is currently in the care of his older sister. Lucy's dad is in prison, convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm. Mary's mum and dad are drug addicts. Mary lived on the streets in her early years and is currently cared for by her grandmother. She is very withdrawn. Jessica's family are involved in crime. Maeve's mother was an alcoholic who was killed by a close relative who is in prison. She is currently cared for by her guardian, who is a functioning alcoholic. Linda's mum is a recovering addict and the father has left the home.

This report was given to me by the principal of a DEIS school, someone of the highest integrity who is not given to exaggeration. Any number of principals and teachers from other schools are listening to this debate who from their own experience can vouch for the truth of the shocking reality I have outlined in this one school. I talked to one principal who thought I was talking about his school and who was concerned I would identify the school.

This is the Ireland we live in and if the Minister does not know that, he ought to. As a teacher who contacted me said, the children in this school have done nothing to deserve this sort of treatment. Another said that without small classes and specialised programmes, the children will be condemned to educational poverty. The cycle of educational disadvantage was being broken so the removal of resources at this time will have a disastrous effect on our children.

When looking at this issue, we must also consider the loss of an estimated 700 school guidance counsellors in a move that Barnardos believes will severely affect children because of the essential role such counsellors play in supporting young people's educational, emotional and mental well-being. School guidance counsellors are often the first point of contact for young people when they experience difficulties. They are one of the few free supports available and they play a vital role in helping young people in times of crisis. Out of all the initiatives in DEIS, the withdrawal of support teachers could have the most detrimental effect on the teaching and learning in our schools. There are simply too many children with educational, emotional and behavioural difficulties for schools to manage without support teachers. Their loss will have a massively negative effect on the children who need additional help in school. It will undermine their basic right to receive an education in a calm and safe environment. This will result in more suspensions and expulsions and there will be significant disruption in classrooms and, in the long run, huge costs to the taxpayer.

It is recognised internationally that providing additional targeted support for children with special needs or from a disadvantaged background can make a significant difference in their lives. Child poverty in Ireland can only be eradicated if we tackle educational disadvantage that is passed from one generation to the next. When the DEIS initiative was launched, the accompanying action plan recognised that underachievement in school has profound and far-reaching consequences for children and adults in later life. Not only does it lead to economic uncertainty, it also has implications for the individual's well-being, health, self-esteem and participation in family and community life.

I will conclude by quoting from the views of many parents and teachers who have contacted my office on this issue. One parent said his children's literacy and numeracy levels have all improved in recent years. They are confident and happy, and enjoy going to school. She said she was very worried about their future. A teacher said to me that with class sizes increasing, children who need extra help will not get it.

These cuts contradict everything suggested in the new literacy and numeracy framework. The Government is taking a massive step backwards. So much for cherishing all the children of the nation equally as we approach 2016.

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis atá againn anocht an rún fíor-thábhachtach seo ar chúrsaí oideachais a phlé sa Dáil. Bhí sé iontach slítheánta an dóigh a thug an Rialtas agus an t-Aire na ciorruithe a chuir siad i bhfeidm i gcúrsaí oideachais. The Government introduced the education cuts in December's budget in a very sly way. We had the mantra from Government spokespersons, Ministers and backbenchers that class sizes had not changed. However, within days the Minister outlined the new staffing schedule for small rural schools which clearly indicates fewer teachers in smaller schools and more children in larger classes.

The issue of the DEIS schools will be well ventilated over the next two days. They particularly affect urban areas and schools in my constituency are not absolved from the impact of the Minister's decision. I have listened to parents and teachers in DEIS schools in Lifford, Carndonagh and other areas throughout the county who have told us about the real impacts on children's education and on the school environment. The DEIS school in Lifford will lose three teachers as a result of the Minister's proposals.

I wish to focus in particular on the Government's decision to try to force the closure of small rural schools. The Minister has made no bones about saying that the changes in school staffing schedules with four or fewer teachers has been done in order to give these schools an opportunity to consider amalgamation. I have also seen the reports from the Department of Education and Skills to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform proposing other ways to force small rural schools to close down. The impact of this on rural areas will be huge. In County Donegal it will have a significant impact because of the rural nature of my county. Some 115 of the 176 schools in County Donegal have fewer than 100 pupils. I believe that more than 60 of them have fewer than 50 pupils. Nearly two thirds of the schools in County Donegal will be affected by the staffing schedule changes the Minister has announced.

However, while the Minister increased the staffing schedule by two for schools with four or fewer teachers, Gaeltacht schools will be more severely affected. A Gaeltacht school with four teachers requires 76 pupils to maintain its four teachers. The Minister has decided to increase that by seven and he has done it retrospectively. He has told those schools they now need to find seven more pupils if they wants to retain their fourth teacher. Why did the Minister single out Gaeltacht schools for a more severe cut than that being taken by other schools? Every other school with four or fewer teachers will require two additional pupils, but the staffing schedule in Gaeltacht schools with a principal and three other teachers increases by seven.

It is not just that schools will lose teachers. The decision to allocate 0.2 of a resource teacher per mainstream classroom does not make sense. A four-teacher school will now have 0.8 of a post. The additional learning support will not be able to be amalgamated with this position and therefore teachers will have to share a position between two schools. The INTO pointed out that the resource teacher in a four-teacher school will have to travel to another school every day to provide 0.2 of a position to that school. However, within the same school there could be a pupil who is allocated five hours of learning support and the learning support person would need to travel from another school to go to that school. This would result in teachers passing each other on the roads going from school to school, providing education. As the INTO stated, the only people to benefit from this are the owners of the petrol stations along the way.

The Minister's proposals make no sense. In the past learning support and resource teachers were allowed to be amalgamated in particular for rural schools. I offer to meet the Minister and lead him through rural areas to show him how his decision will have an effect there.

Three weeks after the fact the Minister has asked for a report on DEIS schools. What educational example does that set for our children? One does not make decisions now and then ask for a report on the impact of it three weeks later. The Minister should have done his homework before the budget and should have known the impact his decisions would have on DEIS schools, learning support, resource teachers and mainstream allocation in rural schools. He should have made his decision clear and concise based on the evidence. What the Minister did was to rush in and we all know that only fools rush in.

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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One of the most unfair and morally reprehensible cuts announced in December's budget was the decision to increase pupil-teacher ratios in DEIS band 1 and DEIS band 2 schools, and the phasing out of legacy posts. I would have presumed that would have gone against the core political values of the Minister, as a long-standing Labour Deputy. It is a far cry from the Proclamation and cherishing all of the children of the nation equally.

Tá cur i gcéill á dhéanamh ag Fine Gael lena bpolasaí ar chúrsaí oideachais. Tá scoileanna timpeall na háite seo atá faoi bhrú anois agus is léir go bhfuil gá le tacaíocht a thabhairt dóibh, seachas míchothromas do pháistí a chothú. Bhí páistí ó scoil amháin taobh amuigh den Dáil inniu ag geataí Teach Laighin, in éineacht lena muinteoirí scoile, le tuismitheoirí agus garthuismitheoirí. Bhí siad feargach agus bhí an ceart acu a bheith mar sin.

My constituency of Louth has 20 DEIS schools, five post primary and 15 primary schools. These cuts represent an appalling dismantling of the support for pupils who have such a high level of need. There is an abundance of research of which the Minister must be aware. Was any of this equality-proofed? Was any of it reviewed in terms of the social consequences, hopes and opportunities in the lives of these young people? While minimal money will be saved it will be lost ten times over. Leaving aside the politics, the ideological position and the morality of it all, it is bad economics because in time the State will need to pay more to pick up on the social legacy left by these cuts. I ask the Minister not to review but to reverse his position on the issue. He should be ministerial and show leadership. He should have a social conscience on the issue.

My note indicates that at this point I should ask the Government Deputies to support these schools. However, where are the Government Deputies?

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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They ran away.

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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They are not here because they will not face up to this issue. I will dispense with that part of my script because there is no use in talking to myself.

DEIS schools play a huge role in children's education. Another matter is the issue of guidance councillors. Apart from guidance such councillors give on careers, education and so on, they are the first port of call for many children with difficulties in their lives. That has also been dismantled, which is very short-sighted. Where is the equality in any of this? These cuts will copperfasten inequality. We will see emerging in this State two different types of Ireland peopled by the people of the bottom of the ladder who have not emigrated or are not on the dole, who will be cemented into their inequality while those at the top of the tier will have their positions reinforced. I do not believe Irish people want to see that happen. It is totally unacceptable.

This is not about money and it should not be reduced to money issues, in particular by a Government which will by March of this year have given €4.3 billion of taxpayers' money to criminal banks and unguaranteed bondholders. As a representative of County Louth and from all of my experience in west Belfast, I know the huge effect which small amounts of money can have on disadvantaged areas in terms of uplifting possibilities and opportunities, in particular, for young people. Let us not consign another generation of people to a life on the dole or to emigration. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. Even those who have Gaeilge bhriste know the sense and wisdom of that proverb. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí - nourish the young and they will come right. Do the opposite and we create problems for ourselves.

This is an indication of whether the State values and is committed to all citizens. This Government is clearly saying it is not committed to all citizens. The Minister, if he proceeds with these cuts, is clearly saying he does not believe in equality. What would James Connolly, whose bust is here, do? In modern republicanism the core values must be around access to education, the right to a job, a home, a clean environment and a good health service. What would be the view of the founder of the Labour Party on this issue were he here today debating this matter in this Chamber? Sin mo mhéid. Tá mé fíor cinnte má amharcann an tAire isteach ina chroí go leanfaidh sé an treo ceart, ach má leanann sé ar aghaidh leis an bpolasaí seo, leanfaidh sé an treo mícheart. Nil ciall ar bith le sin.

I appeal to the Minister to reverse this decision and to stand by the pupils, parents, grandparents, teachers and staff in DEIS schools.

8:00 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I had the privilege once of being a member of an audience listening to a speech by the former general secretary of the Labour Party, Mr. Mike Allen. It was one of the best speeches I ever heard. Mr. Allen talked about the impact of unemployment on working class and rural communities across the country following the 1980s and compared it to the potato famine, which devastated this country. He said that it was not so much the famine that caused the devastation but the cholera, disease, hopelessness and loss of our language and that in the 1980s it was not so much the unemployment crisis but the heroin, despair, inter-generational unemployment and impact of it that caused the devastation. He made that speech to the then Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern. One could have heard a pin drop. It was a superb comparison.

The Minister will be aware that much of the work being done by DEIS schools is addressing the legacy of the 1980s. Almost half the number of people currently on the live register are long term unemployed. In my constituency of Donegal north-east, emigration is rife again. Thousands of young people across the county with a population of 160,000 people have emigrated. Unemployment has increased from 8,000 to 23,000. The impact of this on the ground is horrific. The same is happening in our cities. DEIS is dealing with the legacy of the last economic depression. The current recession is taking from this and the previous generation, which is insanity.

I do not perceive Ministers and Members opposite as indecent but the policies they are pursuing are fundamentally indecent. How can they look the people of their communities in the eye, some of whom they went to school with, played football with or socialised with all of their lives and tell them this is right? How can they tell the teachers who took up the challenge to reverse the impact on education of the last recession, that this is fair when in a few weeks time the Government will write a cheque for €1.2 million to people who I and they know should never see one cent of that money? It will do the same in respect of a further €3.1 billion by the end of March.

At what point will we look back to James Connolly? At what point will we find the essential Irishness, the fighting spirit within ourselves, to stand up for the vulnerable young children and teachers at the front-line who have done Trojan work and reversed the tide of the 1980s? These teachers who are now facing another tide need more, not less resources. The challenge to the Members opposite is to do something about this profound injustice.

At what stage will the Government raise with Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy or whomever are the Ministers for education in Germany and France how its Ministers are to justify these types of insidious, unjust, indecent cuts against the most disadvantaged people in this country while it pays wealthy, greedy, reckless, elite investors around the globe? What I am witnessing is remarkable. It is the hijacking of decency and democracy by an elite which gambled recklessly, lobbied for low regulation and took over the sanity of Governments and economists and destroyed our economies. What have we done? We have rewarded them and put them at the head of the European Central Bank, ECB, and made them technocratic Prime Ministers in Greece and Italy.

At what point do we look at the busts around this Chamber and acknowledge our inheritance as Irish citizens? The Proclamation at the front door which vows to cherish the children of the nation equally is my inheritance as a Teachta Dála. At what point do we find within ourselves the ability to fight against this disastrous situation we face? I am sure that in 20 years' time I will review more speeches by people like Mr. Mike Allen and others engaged in community activism. We will review the speeches of another Mike Allen in regard to the impact of this recession and the need to address it, to which speech another Taoiseach will listen, comment that it was great but will not do anything.

I do not consider myself to be a more decent man that the Minister or Minister of State. However, they and their Cabinet colleagues have the power to change things. They can start by reversing these cuts. They could make a statement by no longer punishing the most vulnerable or crushing the morale of the teachers, communities and people on the front line in this area. I appeal to them to find their Irishness and spirit and to do justice to the fight of those who came before us.

Photo of Sandra McLellanSandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and take this opportunity to welcome all the visitors in the Visitors' Gallery, particularly those whom I met earlier from St. Louise's school, Ballyfermot. On the first day back after the Christmas break, a time when families traditionally come together, it is appropriate that Members should have a chance to discuss the Government's scurrilous attack on the very fabric of Irish society. This was a stark Christmas for many families who were made face into another year of Government-prescribed austerity in which a myriad of stealth taxes and charges on the horizon have been promised and guaranteed. Virtually all such families have been affected either directly or indirectly by the scourge of unemployment and forced emigration and their children have been forced to leave because of disastrous Government policy. The novelty of using Skype soon gives way to the fact that one's own children must travel halfway around the world simply to afford a decent existence. Moreover, if they have managed to return home for Christmas, they are merely visitors in their own homes. The Government's policy has failed young people. It has failed to deliver either jobs or growth and most of all, it has failed to deliver hope. As all the economists and financial commentators line up to give their assessments and to highlight the need for a second bailout or ten more years of austerity, Deputies from both Sinn Féin and the Government know this is set to continue to fail, despite the protestations to the contrary of the Minister, Deputy Noonan.

The cuts to the DEIS programme announced in the budget deserve particular attention both because of the devastating effect they will have on those children who are covered directly by the scheme and in the broader sense, having an appreciation of the role of education to society as a whole. This State at times has had nothing less than a shameful record on education. Children born into disadvantaged families have always been the ones to bear the brunt. A two-tier education system continues to exist in this State and schemes that went some way towards its redress, such as the DEIS scheme or free third level education, are being hollowed out. It is probably appropriate to remind Members that DEIS stands for delivering equality of opportunity in schools. Although it stands for delivering equality of opportunity to society's youngest and most disadvantaged or most vulnerable, a Labour Party in coalition sees fit to target this scheme. How can its Members do this at a time when the DEIS scheme is more important than ever?

In a climate of high unemployment and increasing rates of poverty, crime rates, mental health issues, suicide rates, substance abuse and strain on people and families, it is incumbent on the Government to show leadership and to show what we as a people stand for. If not through the education of our children, how do we shape the society in which we live? In essence, equality of opportunity is about fairness. It is about giving each child who, through whatever quirk of geography, genetics, environment or circumstances has found him or herself at a disadvantage from an early age, a chance to reach his or her full potential. Cuts to DEIS schools are the definition of unfairness and epitomise the ideological basis on which the Government approached budget 2012. Cuts to DEIS schools in any circumstance are regrettable but when billions, comprising many multiples of the entire education budget, are being pumped into defunct and toxic financial institutions and are used to pay off private speculators in some sort of submissive apology to our paymasters, cuts to DEIS schools are offensive. They should be offensive to all Members of this House. I dare say it disgusts and angers the very people who elected the Labour Party Deputies, a fact of which I am sure the latter are well aware. These changes will mean that many children in these schools will have significantly reduced access to learning and language support. The very children who need the most intensive educational support with regard to literacy and numeracy will be most affected by these budget measures.

I urge all those Labour Party Deputies who spoke out on the issue over the weekend to stand by the strength of their convictions, join their colleagues who did so previously and reject the Government's systematic assault on both the most disadvantaged and most vulnerable in society and on the very fabric of society itself. This Government strategy is the wrong one, as there is a better and fairer way. I ask all Deputies to support the Sinn Féin motion.

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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Nearly two years ago, I sat on these benches and listened to the Labour Party leader accuse the then Government of economic treason. Many people outside this House agreed with what the then Deputy Gilmore had stated, while others were quite shocked. I am disappointed about the expectations of the people, as reflected in the election of February of last year. I refer to the hope and expectations they believed would come about as a result of changing the Government. It was hoped the Government would be more fair, would look after those who were most in need and essentially would be a better and more transparent Government. However, I can discern no difference between the policies and budgets of the current Administration and those of its Fianna Fáil-Green Party predecessor. I cannot understand how the Minister, Deputy Quinn, can claim to be a Labour Party person who represents and espouses the aims and aspirations of James Connolly and similar people, while penalising the most disadvantaged in society. I cannot understand how, in the recent budget, a Labour Party Minister, Deputy Burton, penalised people with disabilities aged between 16 and 24 and nor can I understand how the Labour Party can remain in government while penalising schools in disadvantaged areas through cuts.

The Minister had choices when drawing up the budget in Cabinet. He could have made choices that would have protected the disadvantaged, those with disabilities and elderly people. While he could have made choices that would have protected and enhanced the education system, he acquiesced and took what he considered to be the easy option. I would expect this from Fine Gael, which, after all, is a right-wing party. It is a party that represents the upper class and the privileged. It is a party that suggests education should be a privilege for those who can afford it, namely, the rich and the elite. However, I cannot understand the reason the Minister, as a member of the Labour Party, should target the most discriminated-against sections of society. The Minister's party leader's accusation against the then Government of economic treason is quite applicable to the current Administration right now.

However, I refer to other people within the Labour Party around this island. Councillor Ryan of Waterford City Council, together with the Fine Gael councillors, supported a Sinn Féin motion against these cuts. There are other Labour councillors around the country who are disgusted by what the Minister is about to do regarding cuts in provision to disadvantaged schools. One choice the Minister could have made and which formed part of the Labour Party's pre-Government proposals, pertains to a third rate of tax. Although a third rate of tax would have brought in enough money to protect people with disabilities as well as the rights and entitlements of people in disadvantaged areas, the Minister instead went for the more vulnerable and those who are most at need in our society and communities. How can he sit in this Chamber and call himself a representative of the Labour Party or of the working class? How can his party vote for and support in this Chamber a budget that is targeting those most in need in our society and communities? I cannot understand this as there are good people on the other side of the House. While I acknowledge Members opposite are disgusted with what the Government is doing, they should get off their arses and stand up to it. They should not sit there like sheep and acquiesce in what they have been told by the Government. They should get up off their knees and stand by the people in need. They should stand by their pre-budget submissions on the requirements of those who are most disadvantaged in DEIS and disadvantaged areas. Those Members should stand by what they said about education being a right for all of the people, not a privilege for those Fine Gael has always represented, namely, barristers and those who comprise the so-called elite in our society, the members of the privileged class. Now that the Minister's party is representing the privileged class, it is no different from Fine Gael. There is also no difference between this and the previous Government. The previous Government was accused of economic treason by the Minister's leader, in the same way as I accuse the Minister of economic treason for targeting the most needy and the most vulnerable in our communities who deserve support most.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I move amendment No. 2:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

-acknowledges that the plans set out by the Government in Budget 2012 form an important step in returning Ireland's economy to a sound footing and regaining our economic sovereignty;

-recalls the pioneering measures first taken in 1996 by the then Fine Gael-Labour Party Government by the introduction of dedicated supports for tackling educational disadvantage, with the purpose and objective of ensuring that educational attainment is not confined by the circumstances or place of a child's birth, and that each child has the opportunity to attain their full educational and social potential;

-notes the further development since that time of a series of initiatives, including the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, Programme;

-commends the commitment, dedication and unstinting work since that time of teachers, principals, school staff, parents and others in the school communities concerned who have worked to ensure the success of DEIS and related schemes in the face of multiple challenges and difficulties;

-notes the successes that have been achieved to date in improving educational opportunities and the life chances of the children who have benefited from these measures;

-notes the resources that have been committed to these schools under a range of headings, including over €158 million that is being provided in 2012 in additional resources and supports for primary and second level schools included in DEIS, in the form of:

-teaching posts to implement more favourable class sizes;

-additional capitation funding;

- additional funding for school books;

-access to the School Meals Programme;

-access to numeracy-literacy supports and measures at primary level such as Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery and First Steps;

-access to Home-School-Community Liaison services;

-access to the School Completion Programme;

-access to planning supports;

-access to a range of professional development supports; and

-provision for school library and librarian support for DEIS Second Level schools, access to the Junior Certificate School Programme and Leaving Certificate Applied;

-notes the priority that has already been afforded by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, TD, to the core issue of improving literacy standards and literacy strategy that is currently being implemented; and

-welcomes:

-the firm commitment of the Government to the principle of equality of educational opportunity;

-the determination of the Government to further the attainment of this goal through the design and implementation of coherent and evidence-based strategies which builds on these achievements;

-the engagement by the Minister for Education and Skills with school principals, teachers, parents and communities in recent weeks, to hear their concerns and clarify the position in relation to changes announced under Budget 2012 to posts allocated to schools under previous schemes to tackle educational disadvantage; and

-the fact that, following this engagement, the Minister for Education and Skills has asked his Department for a report within the next four weeks on the position of DEIS Band One and Band Two schools which currently have posts under older schemes, in the context of the staffing allocations due to issue to all schools in the coming weeks.

I would like to share time with Deputy John Lyons.

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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That is agreed.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The education allocation for current expenditure in 2012, including from the national training fund, will be €8.604 billion. This represents approximately 17% of all current expenditure this year. Savings measures announced in the budget will provide net savings of €76 million in 2012, increasing to €241 million in 2014. Achieving savings in my Department's budget has required very difficult decisions to be made, particularly at a time when the schoolgoing population is increasing. We are dealing with a very difficult situation in the education sector where we have to find savings and control the increase in public sector numbers, considering that one third of all public sector employees work in the education sector.

It is important to note that a key aspect of the EU-IMF programme of support and Ireland's overall budgetary strategy is a requirement to reduce the public sector payroll. This is particularly challenging in the education sector; unlike other countries, our schoolgoing population is rising rapidly. Places have to be provided for the extra 70,000 pupils who will be arriving in schools in the next six years. Teachers have to be appointed to teach them. Providing for increased enrolments is a key priority but making some adjustment to teacher numbers is unavoidable, given the budgetary constraints. The net impact on overall teacher numbers in schools has been minimised to the greatest possible extent. It is important that we have effective redeployment arrangements in place to ensure all surplus permanent teachers are redeployed into vacancies in neighbouring schools. Despite the pressures on spending, the Government has shielded, to the greatest possible extent, front-line services in schools. There has been no increase in the mainstream staffing schedule general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level. The overall number of special needs assistants and resource teachers will be maintained at current levels.

Notwithstanding certain cost implications, my Department has prioritised a reform agenda in certain key areas. Among the measures planned are implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy which will cost an additional €6 million in the current year; reform of the junior cycle which will cost an additional €1 million in the current year; the roll-out of 100 mbps broadband for second level schools which will cost €1.4 million in the current year; labour activation fund proposals to increase the number of places for jobless adults; and implementation of the report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism.

The Department introduced a general allocation mode, GAM, for primary schools in respect of teachers in September 2005 in order to provide additional permanent teaching resources to assist schools in making provision for children with learning support and higher incidence special educational needs such as mild general learning difficulty. Prior to the introduction of the GAM, schools had been required to apply for additional learning support resources based on assessments for each individual child with higher incidence needs. The staffing allocation for many schools under the GAM has not been updated since it was first introduced seven years ago in 2005. As part of the reforms to the teacher allocation process it will now be updated from September 2012 for all schools through a redistribution of existing resources. The combined resources available for GAM and language support services, currently a total of 4,700 posts, will be used to create a single simplified allocation process to cover GAM learning support and language support services. This new single allocation will be based on the number of classroom teaching posts in each school in the previous school year, that is, the allocation for the 2012-13 school year will be based on the number of mainstream classroom teaching posts in the previous school year. This simplified approach will make it easier to automatically update it annually in line with the changes in the number of classroom teachers in each school.

Schools will have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support services, depending on their specific needs. The single allocation process will involve the allocation of the equivalent of around 4,100 posts as follows: an allocation of five hours per week, or 0.2 of a post, to each mixed or all boys' school for every mainstream classroom teaching post; and an allocation of four hours per week, or 0.16 of a post, to each all girls' school for every mainstream classroom teaching post, rounded to the nearest 0.2 of a post to facilitate clustering into full-time posts.

I again confirm what I undertook to do in December, which was to make some adjustment to reflect the particular position of DEIS band one schools in the new GAM allocations. The details will be notified to schools in the coming weeks as part of the Department's staffing circular to schools.

The new GAM allocations are being made in five hour blocks, which is the equivalent of the tuition time in a full school day. Teachers who are in shared posts between schools can, therefore, operate local arrangements that enable their travel to a neighbouring school, where possible, from the start of the school day, thus avoiding loss of tuition time. The new GAM arrangements also provide for additional support to be given to schools with high concentrations of pupils who require language support.

With regard to resource posts and the allocations made by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, as part of the reforms to the teacher allocation process, existing posts will be used to put in place a network of about 2,450 full-time resource posts in over 1,600 base schools throughout the country that will be allocated on a permanent basis. This approach builds on the interim arrangements operated in 2011 but in a more structured and transparent manner. The annual changes in resource hours at individual school level will only have an effect where the teacher is working on any one day, they will not have an effect on whether the base school continues to host the full-time post. This approach will introduce greater constancy in the context of the annual allocations and redeployment process.

The teachers in these full-time resource posts will undertake NCSE approved - low incidence - resource hours in the base schools or neighbouring schools. Schools are typically notified of their NCSE approved resource hours in the late spring-early summer period but also throughout the school year. Through his or her role in allocating resources the local special education needs organiser, SENO, will have an oversight role in relation to the sharing arrangements between schools in order that they can operate as efficiently as possible and any time loss due to travel between schools can be kept to a minimum. Schools that are unable to access their NCSE approved resource hours from this network of full-time resource posts will be allocated mainly part-time temporary posts.

With regard to the staffing schedule for small primary schools, while there is no increase in the staffing schedule general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level, there will be a phased increase in the pupil threshold for the allocation of classroom teachers in small primary schools. As part of the budgetary decisions the number of pupils required to gain and retain a teaching post in small primary schools will be gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. The schools concerned are those with four or fewer classroom teachers. It is important to emphasise that no small schools will be closed owing to the changes announced.

The phased adjustment is estimated to yield a saving of 250 teaching posts in the next three years, with 100 of these posts being removed in 2012-13 school year. The resulting surplus teachers will be redeployed to vacancies in neighbouring schools in accordance with the redeployment arrangements. The phasing of these measures provides the schools concerned with time to consider the potential for amalgamation with other schools where this is feasible. There is a significant number of small schools across the country. For the information of the House, there were once 6,500 primary schools in Ireland. Now, there are 3,200 mainstream primary schools.

I will deal now with the budget measures relating to guidance provision at post-primary level, which has been the subject of some discussion. Guidance posts at post-primary level will no longer be allocated to post-primary schools on an ex-quota basis - that is, the additional allocations for guidance provision will cease from September 2012. Guidance provision in future will be managed by schools from within their staffing schedule allocation. In this way, schools will have discretion to balance guidance needs with the pressures to provide subject choice. The relevant budget measures, including those relating to guidance, come into effect from September 2012. Schools will be notified in the normal manner in relation to these changes. My Department will issue a circular this month which will outline the staffing arrangements in schools for the 2012-13 school year.

Until now, a specific resource was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation for post-primary schools. In future, schools will be obliged to meet their guidance requirements - these are statutory in nature - from within the overall resource provided by that normal staffing schedule. Individually, schools will be able to continue to make provision for guidance and counselling. Decisions on how this will be done will be taken at school level in the best interests of students and to ensure the best use of resources available. I am confident that school management and teachers will continue to work together to meet the needs of the students in their care.

The recent budget also provided for the filling of 300 assistant principal posts in post-primary schools. This is above the level originally planned and it will ensure that schools will have sufficient management positions to ensure appropriate supports - including those provided by year heads - will be available for all students. This is an important change which will reduce the impact of the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility in second level schools. Principals will now have something they have been seeking for a long period, namely, greater autonomy to decide the priorities as between subject provision and guidance counselling. I have no doubt that leaving certificate students will receive sufficient guidance, particularly in January when they are completing their CAO forms. Our schools are caring institutions and I am satisfied they will provide the necessary supports for vulnerable pupils in their care. All teachers, not just guidance counsellors, have a duty of care to their students.

The Government will continue to prioritise targeted supports for schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage through the delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, programme. These supports will be over and above those available to other schools. In the region of €700 million continues to be provided for tackling disadvantage across the education spectrum, from preschool to further and higher education. This includes schemes such as the school completion programme and disadvantaged youth, which is now under the aegis of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and the school means programme, which is administered by the Department of Social Protection.

DEIS post-primary schools will be targeted for additional support through an improved staffing schedule of 18.25:1, which is an improvement of 0.75 when compared to the existing standard 19:1 which applies in post-primary schools that do not charge fees or to the 21:1 ratio which will apply in fee-charging schools. The Government is also providing €13 million in enhanced funding and €2 million in school book funding for DEIS schools, as well as a €26 million investment in home-school community liaison. All of these areas have been protected from reductions in expenditure for 2012. In addition, €27 million will be provided next year for the school completion programme, which is a major component of DEIS and which is funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

The DEIS action plan, implemented in 2005, represented a significant advance in dealing with educational disadvantage because it was the first comprehensive initiative in this area developed by drawing, in a co-ordinated fashion, on appropriate data sources to identify indicators of disadvantage which then provided the basis for the identification of schools for inclusion in a suite of integrated supports under the programme. DEIS recognises that barriers to the educational progress of children and young people are varied and are not just related to issues within the education system. It also recognises that solutions will not be found just within that system but by working in partnership with others across Departments and agencies and the wider community.

Prior to the introduction of DEIS in 2005, educational inclusion schemes had targeted additional supports to schools in disadvantaged areas under a range of unco-ordinated measures. Among these were the disadvantaged areas scheme, DAS, introduced in 1984 when Labour was previously in government, Breaking the Cycle, which was introduced in 1996, and Giving Children an Even Break, introduced in 2000. All of these were primarily aimed at reducing class sizes. Through a lack of integration of the schemes at their time of introduction, some schools were included in all schemes while others were included either in some or just one. Posts allocated under schemes which predated DEIS, which are the focus of the current adjustments, were retained by schools despite the fact that such measures were not warranted under the programme. It was considered essential that the focus should be on preserving the core activities and resources applied to DEIS because the programme provides for a more integrated and focused approach, addressing the educational needs of children and young people in disadvantaged communities from preschool through second level - in other words, between the ages of three and 18 - supported by a much increased emphasis on target-setting and measurement of progress and outcomes.

The aim of DEIS is to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. Its core elements comprise a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and an integrated school support programme, SSP, which brings together and builds upon existing interventions for schools and school clusters-communities with a concentrated level of educational disadvantage. Following the comprehensive identification and review processes in 2005 and early 2006, and allowing for the inclusion of new and newly amalgamated schools and for closures, some 865 schools - 195 post-primary schools and 670 primary schools - are currently included in the SSP under DEIS.

DEIS primary schools are subdivided into three classifications to reflect rural and urban status and levels of disadvantage. These currently include 199 urban band 1, 144 urban band 2 and 327 rural primary schools. More than €158 million is being provided to make additional resources and supports available to primary and second level schools included in DEIS. These supports include more favourable pupil-teacher ratios in band 1; additional capitation funding; additional funding for school books; access to the school meals programme; access to numeracy-literacy supports and measures at primary level such as reading recovery, maths recovery and first steps; access to home-school community liaison services; access to the school completion programme; access to planning supports; access to range of professional development supports; provision for school library and librarian support for DEIS second level schools; and access to the junior certificate school programme and the leaving certificate applied.

Just prior to Christmas I received three evaluation reports on DEIS, which indicate that it is making a measurable contribution to improving outcomes for children in schools which benefit from it. Research and evaluation are essential tools underpinning DEIS and my Department has commissioned the Educational Research Centre, ERC, to conduct an ongoing independent evaluation of the SSP component of DEIS in primary and post-primary schools in order to assist in successful implementation of the programme and to assess its impact while ensuring that the best possible approaches to measuring progress and outcomes are implemented and that any adjustments to the programme will be made on the basis of the outcome from both the research and evaluation processes.

The first evaluation I received - which is the second in a series by the ERC - involves the evaluation of DEIS in urban primary schools, with a particular focus on achievement in English reading and mathematics based on testing carried out in 2007 and 2010. The initial findings of the evaluation show that when the overall average reading scores for urban schools for 2007 and 2010 were compared, there was an overall improvement in average reading and maths achievement. The improvements are statistically significant at all grade levels in both English reading and mathematics. Improvements are greatest at lower grade levels, with the largest gain among second class pupils. Progress appears most marked among pupils with lower levels of achievement. Positive change in achievement is most evident among junior grades. In addition, the inspectorate of the Department undertook evaluation in a sample of 36 DEIS schools and the findings are supportive and significant.

When the DEIS system was introduced at a time when the economic landscape was more favourable, as a concessionary measure schools were allowed to retain the staffing benefits they had under previous disadvantaged schemes in addition to resources provided under the new system. The previous schemes included the disadvantaged areas scheme, breaking the cycle, giving children an even break and the support teacher project. Schools not selected for DEIS but operating under older schemes also retained teaching and financial resources from these previous schemes up to 2008-09 when they were withdrawn under the budget of the previous Government. A decision was taken to withdraw 428 posts from earlier disadvantage programmes and schemes in 270 primary schools and 163 post-primary schools. A total of 20 of these posts were allocated to the professional development service for teachers to work directly with schools providing in-service relating to the implementation of literacy and numeracy under the national literacy strategy.

The implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy for the period 2011-20 includes a commitment to support enhanced literacy and numeracy provision for students from socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. For some schools particularly impacted by the withdrawal of disadvantage posts, several teaching posts are being held in reserve to reduce the impact of changes. These are associated with the schools most acutely affected by these measures. The special position of DEIS schools will also be recognised in adjustments to the general allocation model, which is used to allocate learning and language support teaching posts to schools.

All schools will be notified in the coming weeks of their staffing entitlements under the new arrangement, including any alleviation measures that may apply. This will allow schools to plan for the school year beginning in September. Conscious of the concerns of some schools that will be adversely affected by this measure, I have met with school principals, teachers, parents and communities in recent weeks to hear their concerns and to clarify the position in respect of changes announced under budget 2012 to posts allocated to schools under previous schemes to tackle educational disadvantage. I have also held many meetings with members of my parliamentary party and all Government colleagues, who have performed an invaluable service in allowing me to develop our understanding of the actual impact of the proposed measures on these schools. Consequently, I have asked my Department for a report within the next four weeks on the position of DEIS band 1 and DEIS band 2 schools which currently have posts under older schemes in the context of the staffing allocations due to issue to all schools in the coming weeks. I have attempted to make it clear at all stages that we wish to examine the exact situation as it pertains to each individual DEIS school on a case-by-case basis. This report is the next step in that examination.

As we have stated in the amendment to the motion, I wish to place on the record my admiration and appreciation of the extraordinary commitment, dedication and affection involved in alleviating educational disadvantage within our schools. I refer in particular to the work of teachers, principals, staff, parents and wider school communities in ensuring the continued success of the DEIS scheme and the education of so many children from disadvantaged homes and communities. This work allows children to experience a genuine equality of opportunity which was denied to too many children in this country for too many years.

My personal commitment, and the stated objective of the Government is to continue working to develop strategies that will strive to eliminate educational disadvantage from our society. I hope that all DEIS band 1 and DEIS band 2 schools will be assured of our commitment to resolve the current issues within the timeframe I have outlined. After all, we have an honourable record in democratic politics, especially in the area of education and it is my intention to live up to that record.

Photo of John LyonsJohn Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I am privileged albeit a little nervous to speak on this matter. Sometimes we come in here and speak about things somewhat outside, whereas today I am speaking about something close and personal. I put it to the Sinn Féin Party that it is not the only party with a monopoly on what poverty looks and smells like. We do too. As a Labour Party member I am aware of what poverty looks like, especially as someone who has grown up in Ballymun and who has chosen to live there. I attended what would be today a DEIS school and the children of my brothers and sisters attend DEIS schools. I know what that is like. I have spoken to the Minister and brought back to him what I have heard not only from listening to teachers but from people who I know, including my neighbours, whose children also attend DEIS schools.

The DEIS system does transform the lives of the children who go to these schools. Along with the legacy posts that went before which were referred to earlier, it has offered a chance to break the cycle in these communities. The first Member from Ballymun is standing here tonight discussing the matter. The type of work DEIS schools carry out allows this to take place. For the first time we are seeing children from Ballymun and Finglas reaching the national literacy levels at the same age as children from the rest of the country. This is because of the commitment of the extra resources that the DEIS system brings to these schools. We cannot afford to do anything to stop it. We must continue to break the cycle.

Ultimately, this is about giving people a fair chance. It is about allowing people to reach their full potential and to allow them perhaps to have a sufficient level of literacy so that when they attend secondary school they are able to read properly and engage with school and not act out and end up outside the classroom. This is what DEIS system does. It transforms the lives of the individuals who access these programmes and attend these schools. In addition, it transforms the families and ultimately the communities.

As the Minister and everyone here is aware, the work DEIS has done and that of the projects that went before it cannot be described on paper. However, we must continue what we are doing at the current levels. I spoke to the Minister about this beforehand. I will support the amendment to the motion because there is spirit in the words of the last paragraph, which resolve to examine and review what DEIS offers at the moment.

I sound one word of caution. I hope that the review will allow the schools that are delivering a top quality service to continue. The additional teachers in place are not dossing, they are probably working more hours than teachers in other schools but not getting the pay. They earn their pay because some of these teachers have been working in these schools for years. They are in the tough schools earning their bucks. They work more than they should because they are committed. These teachers come to us because they believe in the children. It is not about having an extra teacher in the school so that one can sit in the staff room drinking tea. It is about delivering as much as they can at whatever scale they can and to serve the needs before them.

We are all aware that the needs in these schools are acute. The most difficult children are in these schools. However, the great thing is that when the resources are put in place one can transform this and this is what DEIS system is doing.

Photo of Joan CollinsJoan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The resources are being taken out.

Photo of John LyonsJohn Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I am confident that at the end of this review the Minister will ensure these DEIS band 1 and band 2 schools will continue to have sufficient resources to continue to deliver the work that they are doing so that, hopefully, there will be another John Lyons here at another time.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to share my time with Deputy Brendan Smith and Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív who, I anticipate, will arrive in the nick of time. We have 15 minutes to speak so it will be a difficult challenge to deal with all aspects of this issue.

Since it came to office, this Government has placed a higher priority on the presentation of announcements than on their content. Nowhere was this clearer than during the week of budget announcements in December. Ministers and backbenchers alike operated to the same set of speaking points, central to which was the claim that the budget was based on being fair. In area after area, the implementation of the budget has been shown to be the exact opposite. It is the most regressive and unfair budget for many years, and the commentary of the ESRI has testified to this, with the targeted cuts to fall more on those who have the least. This is just as true in the area of education as it is for the Government's tax and welfare policies. When spending plans were announced, the Government stated that education was being spared, with the pupil teacher ratio being left untouched. That was the greatest deceit articulated during the budget debate itself.

The budget documentation states that "a key priority is to continue to prioritise and target available funding at schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage". We know that the detail of the budget has shown exactly the opposite. The pupil teacher ratio in schools will rise significantly this year, with the removal of nearly 600 posts from disadvantaged schools, 800 posts in guidance counselling and 100 posts in rural schools. That is in the Minister's documentation, yet the first half of his speech was gobbledegook. He should stop insulting people with language such as "the general allocation model has been updated". In the name of God, does he know what that means? It means that posts are being lost. There are seven schools in my own area with DEIS band 2 status, and they will lose 30 posts. The updating of the general allocation model to those schools means a reduction of 30 posts. Let us stop this language which represents a complete disconnect with the reality on the ground. The Minister says he is talking to principals, but principals will tell him about this if he actually talks to them. Three schools with DEIS band 1 status in my area have lost nine posts.

This is unacceptable. I have not witnessed such an unprecedented assault on disadvantaged schools in a long time. No school can be expected to shoulder a loss of two school teachers in a DEIS 1 school or a loss of three or even five teachers in some DEIS band 2 schools. That is what is happening through this gobbledegook about updating general allocation models, five hour blocks of resources and the changes in respect of language teaching supports. Adding it all up means double and treble whammies on the impact on teacher numbers in schools. It is the children who need it most who are suffering. I have met the teachers and the parents in the schools in many communities. They are in absolute despair.

The latter half of the Minister's speech was a bit better in terms of the impact of DEIS itself. That is the point. DEIS is actually working. It is having a huge impact on literacy and numeracy achievements and school planning. The Department's inspectorate carried out a report on the DEIS model for school planning, and recommended that it be rolled out to every other school in the country. It will be impossible to carry out such school planning if the Minister goes ahead with these cuts. Why then does the Minister impose these cuts on the schools if all the demonstrable evidence is that it is working to great effect?

Sometimes Ministers and backbenchers claim that they have no option and they have been forced to take these actions due to circumstances imposed on them. However, the Minister's own document shows that he proposed these cuts himself to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. On 9 September 2011, the Minister finished his review of education spending and sent it to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. He dealt with the disadvantage schemes at length. He acknowledged that they had been independently studied and had delivered undeniable progress for many thousands of pupils. In spite of this, he recommended cutting these posts because he could not find any "objective and equality grounds" for retaining them. In other words, the Minister proposed these cuts because he felt they were the right thing to do, not because he was forced to do so.

Part of the spending review on the national literacy and numeracy initiative has been withheld from the public, but the details which are available show that key parts of it are to be funded through those cuts to school supports. It is political cynicism of the worst type to cut support for a disadvantaged scheme in order for the Minister to claim that he is creating another one. He has repeatedly said that the DEIS scheme should apply uniformly to all disadvantaged schools, but that goes directly against the evidence that we cannot have a one size fits all approach to disadvantaged schools and pupils. There are different scales of disadvantage and different issues, which is why we retain the staffing of the earlier schemes when DEIS was set up. These schools have extra supports, not because of a legacy issue, but because they actually need them. Studies have repeatedly shown how literacy, numeracy, home schools links, school completion programmes have all significantly improved the work of the teachers whose posts are being cut. The benefit to families, communities and the entire country from this modest spending has been enormous. The sudden withdrawal of so many posts will have a huge and damaging impact.

I believe there are alternatives to this. I ask the Minister not to rely on reviews and reports, but to accept the general consensus. Our first motion under Private Members' business was about education. We wanted to be constructive and say that all parties in the House should affirm the primacy of education as the key pillar for equality of opportunity, reflecting our republican ideals and principles. I ask the Minister to reverse the cuts on the DEIS schools, and to allow them to continue to build on the outstanding progress that has undeniably been made. I appeal to him to respond to this debate this evening by reversing the cuts to the DEIS schools and retaining the posts.

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The amendment refers to the importance and success of the DEIS programme, the serious difficulties that would arise from many schools with the withdrawal of 428 posts. We note the progress that has been made under these programmes. We also recognise the huge concern of so many parents with the proposal to change the method of allocation for career guidance and counselling, and we also outline very strongly the need to protect the significant investment in our rural schools over the past 15 years in particular.

Since 2005, a range of welcome and necessary measures have been introduced under the DEIS programme, including reduced class sizes, developments in numeracy and literacy, reading and maths recovery initiatives, the school completion programme and the school book grants scheme. There has been significant investment in these programmes on an annual basis. Speaking to both parents and teachers, this investment by the State has been put to very good use and has benefited many pupils. Those pupils needed that support, and as Deputy Martin has pointed out, society has been the beneficiary. Schools in disadvantaged areas face the greatest challenges and can least afford cuts to their staffing levels and services. The DEIS programme is the only scheme that targets educational disadvantage in rural Ireland.

The challenges remain in 2012 and it is completely disingenuous of the Government to state that it has protected class sizes at primary level and that it also protected the most disadvantaged. Having listened to informed commentary and having spoken to people in the education sector and to parents, the reality is very different. It is clear that some of the most disadvantaged schools in the country will lose significant numbers of teaching posts, resulting in significant increases in the pupil teacher ratio for those schools. This is apart from the changes proposed to the staffing schedule for schools of four teachers or less.

We have discussed with the Minister the welcome emphasis on literacy and numeracy. How can the Government or the Minister claim that they have a literacy and numeracy strategy and that such a strategy has been prioritised when we see the withdrawal of support from those pupils who should not be denied such necessary assistance? I have read correspondence and have spoken to teachers and parents who have outlined clearly the progress made as a result of the implementation of DEIS. That progress was achieved through smaller classes and through teachers being able to work more closely with their pupils. Page 7 of the Minister's script outlines the success of that programme.

There is widespread concern in rural Ireland about the future of small rural schools. We want to send a clear message that those schools are not in danger. I also want to refer to the decision by the Government to change the allocation in respect of career guidance counselling services. We have all met boards of management in schools, principals, career guidance teachers and teacher of other subjects. They are all very concerned about this proposal. In many areas it will mean the complete abandonment and the elimination of career guidance and counselling in schools.

There has never been a greater need for this service to be maintained and improved. I met teachers not only in career guidance and counselling who are passionate about the service and recognise the absolute need to retain it in all schools. It is abundantly clear that the requirements of section 9(c) of the Education Act 1998, brought through the Oireachtas by my party leader, will not be met by many schools. Some time ago, the Minister told me he would issue a circular. The responses to parliamentary questions have been vague to say the least. The career guidance and counselling service needs to be maintained and I appeal to the Minister to reverse the decision and to ensure the present method of allocation for the career guidance and counselling service is maintained.

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tá áthas orm deis a fháil labhairt ar an rún tábhachtach seo anocht. Is iomaí gné de pholasaí an Rialtais go bhféadfainn a cháineadh, ach anocht tá mé chun díriú isteach ar na scoileanna beaga tuaithe, go mórmhór na scoileanna beaga Gaeltachta. Níl aon amhras orm, ach le fada an lá tá an Roinn Oideachais ag iarraidh cónascadh a dhéanamh ar na scoileanna beaga. Tá daoine ann - is léir go bhfuil an tAire ar duine acu - a chreideann go bhfuil buntáiste i dtaobh airgid agus i dtaobh oideachais ag baint le seo, ainneoin nach bhfuil aon chruthúnas do cheachtar den dá rud sin.

Ní amháin go bhfuil an polasaí seo ag an Aire sa dlínse seo, tá an polasaí céanna á chur i bhfeidhm i dTuaisceart na hÉireann ag Sinn Féin, ach go bhfuil sé á dhéanamh ar bhonn níos déine fós thuas ansin, is é sin, deireadh a chur leis na scoileanna beaga. Ní aontaím leis an polasaí seo agus ní aontóidh mé go deo leis, mar nuair a dúntar scoil beag, gearrtar an croí amach as an bpobal. Go deimhin, siar i 1997, mhol mé i bpolasaí tuaithe a scríobh mé do Fhianna Fáil, go laghdófaí an cóimheas múinteoirí agus scoláirí ó 24 - an mhéid a bhí ann ag an am leis an dara oide a choinneáil. De thoradh ar sin, laghdaigh mo chomhghleacaí anseo, an ceannaire ar Fhianna Fáil, Deputy Micheál Martin, a bhí mar Aire Oideachais nuair a tháinig muid i gcumhacht i 1997, an cóimheas sin ó 24 duine go dtí 12 agus laghdaigh muid ina dhiaidh sin é ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta go ochtar.

Ní chreidim gur airgead atá ag tiomáint an pholasaí seo, ach gur polasaí dearfa aontaithe ag an Aire agus a Roinn atá á thiomáint. Tá siad ar chomh intinn faoi seo. An sprioc atá aige, rud a bhí i gceist ag an Roinn a dhéanamh le fada an lá, fiú nuair a bhí airgead fairsing, na scoileanna beaga a dhúnadh. Ar ndóigh, luíonn seo le réasún ó thaobh an Aire de, mar le fada an lá mar urlabhraí comhshaoil ag Páirtí an Lucht Oibre, bhí sé go mór in aghaidh lonnaíochta tuaithe agus go mór in aghaidh tithíochta tuaithe. Dúirt sé go minic gur chreid sé go mba ceart dúinn ar fad cónaí i sráidbhailte nó i mbailte móra agus nach ceart go mbeadh muid scaipthe thart sna bailte fearainn atá chomh tábhachtach sin do ghnáth phobal na tuaithe.

Ar ndóigh, tá scéal níos níos tromchúisí ann i gcás na Gaeltachta. Ní léir gur tógadh an straitéis 20 bliain ná cúinsí teanga san áireamh ar chor ar bith nuair a bhí an cinneadh seo á dhéanamh. Cuirfidh an cinneadh seo as do 95 as 130 de na scoileanna beaga Gaeltachta. Mar is eol do chuile duine, tá brú ar an teanga sa Ghaeltacht. Táímid ag brath go mór ar na scoileanna chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do thuismitheoirí ó thaobh na Gaeilge de. Tá sé cruthaithe sna scrúdaithe a rinne an Roinn go bhfuil caighdeán níos airde scríofa agus labhartha ag gach duine Gaeltachta i mBéarla ná mar atá acu siúd taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht. Cruthaíonn sé sin chomh maith agus atá ag éirí linn ó thaobh cúrsaí oideachais.

Tá mé ag caint anseo mar thuismitheoir. Cé gur chuaigh mé ar scoil anseo i mBaile Átha Cliath, chuaigh mo chuid gasúir ar scoil sa Ghaeltacht. Tá mo bhean ar bord bainistíochta ceann de na scoileanna beaga Gaeltachta le fada an lá. Má dhéanann an Aire scrúdú ar thorthaí na ngasúir a chuaigh chuig na scoileanna beaga seo, is féidir liom a dhearbhú go ngeobhaidh sé amach gur ndearna siad i bhfad níos fearr ná an meán ó thaobh na cáilíochtaí a bhain siad amach sa saol. Cén fáth an bhfuil sé ag athrú polasaí atá ag oibriú?

Tá a fhios againn cá bhfuil teip sa chóras oideachais - cá bhfuil líon an-bheag do scoláirí ag dul chuig an tríú leibhéal, nó rogha acu é sin a dhéanamh. Ní amuigh faoin tuath atá sé. Is istigh sna cathracha atá sé. Má tá an Rialtas ag iarraidh fadhb a leigheas, is ansin gur chóir é a dhéanamh. Ní cheart iarracht a dhéanamh rud a dheisiú nach bhfuil briste ar chor ar bith.

Ba chóir do bhaill an Rialtas a admháil go dtagann toradh iontach maith os na scoileanna beaga tuaithe. Ba cheart dóibh bealach eile a fháil chun an méidín beag airgid suarach atá á shabháil leis an bpolasaí seo a fháil. Tá mé in amhras go sábháiltear rud ar bith, os rud é go mbeidh costaisí móra iompair agus foirgnimh i gceist. Ba chóir don Rialtas scoileanna beaga na tuaithe a fhágáil mar atá siad. Tá siad ag oibriú agus ag cur oideachas ar an bpobal. Tá na daoine istigh iontu in ann a gcuid a dhéanamh don tír.

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I call on Deputy Thomas Pringle who is sharing time with Deputy Joan Collins.

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on this very important private Members' motion and I commend Sinn Féin for tabling it. The cuts in education epitomise the budget brought forward by the Government. Initially, people were delighted to hear the pupil-teacher ratio was not being increased across the board and it was only as the impact of the budget sank in that people realised the impact the cuts would have.

In his contribution, the Minister stated that we have an honourable record in democratic politics, particularly in the area of education. The loss of 486 posts in DEIS schools, the loss of 700 guidance counsellors whereby schools will have to decide between subjects and guidance, the increase in enrolment numbers required to retain teachers in small schools throughout the country which will force the amalgamation and closure of schools because the Minister did not complete his review because of opposition to it last year, and the removal of the modern languages in primary schools initiative show the mean-spiritedness and lack of honour in the cuts implemented in the budget.

The cuts show a lack of concern for the education of our young people and the impact they will have and the contribution they will make in the future. They make a mockery of the Government's claim that an educated workforce will make a difference to our recovery from the recession we are in at present. They show a lack of concern for pupils, parents, teachers and communities throughout the country which will suffer under these cuts. The devastation in communities when small schools will close will be untold and will shake the confidence of these communities.

The role of the Government should be to enhance and build education and grow young people so they can contribute to society. I do not see how any of these cuts will contribute to this. It is a sad reflection and shows a lack of honour with regard to the contribution education can make to society. I urge the Minister to ensure the DEIS schools are protected and to look after guidance counselling. It is only then that we can grow the economy out of this continuing austerity. Continuing to make cuts will not protect our children and will not grow the economy.

Photo of Joan CollinsJoan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I am shocked, as I would say are most people in the Visitors' Gallery and in the Opposition, with what the Minister had to say. He has not changed his position on the DEIS schools. His message, that he would examine the issue on a case-by-case basis, is exactly what he sent his messengers to say at the meetings held with the principals of DEIS schools prior to and after Christmas. Prior to Christmas I attended a meeting of inner-city DEIS schools and yesterday I attended a meeting of DEIS schools in the Inchicore area in Dublin 8. I was struck by how proud these principals are to work in these communities, how proud they are of their students, how much they love their jobs, and how angry they were, having thought there would be no change to the pupil-teacher ratio, to see what has been done subsequently. Yesterday morning I stated how angry I was at seeing principals having to beg public representatives to ringfence money for DEIS schools and not to make cuts.

Deputy Lyons stated that we do not have a monopoly on poverty. I do not have a monopoly on poverty but I listen to people speak about it. At the meeting I attended yesterday I heard a request for a message to go to the Minister, Deputy Quinn, not to make cuts in DEIS schools and to ringfence the money in future without case-by-case consideration. The principals made clear that they will not accept case-by-case consideration. I hope people will be out on January 19 at the Department of Education and Skills where the principals are organising the students and parents to stop this. It is absolutely outrageous.

Dublin 8 has already lost 11 teachers and could face the loss of another 14 teachers. The capital grants are being removed and all of the resources are being cut. It is not acceptable. During the debate on health this morning, I stated that one can cut people to the bone but when one gets into the marrow people will fight back. This is a time when people will fight back.