Seanad debates

Thursday, 30 October 2008

10:30 am

Photo of Joe O'TooleJoe O'Toole (Independent)

The Leader very kindly, at the conclusion of the Order of Business yesterday, spoke about putting factual matters on the record. It is time to engage with fact in the debate on education. There is much unfounded comment that is presented as fact when that is not the case.

I would like the Leader to confirm that every time the Minister for Education and Science challenges the teachers' unions, he challenges not only the unions but the whole education community. The teacher unions have not stated one thing differently to Catholic, Church of Ireland and Muslim management. I have not heard from the Jewish schools yet, but their comments are exactly the same. The same point is being made by Gaelscoileanna, Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta, the Catholic Primary School Management Association, the National Parents Council Primary and the National Parents Council Post-Primary. Consequently, although the Minister is trying to divert this into an issue that pertains to teachers, it is not a teacher issue, it is that teachers happen to be the front-line professionals dealing with a particular issue.

To bring this matter to a neat conclusion and to make matters easy for the Leader and me, I challenge the Minister for Education and Science to come into this House and state on record what he is saying outside. Outside the House, the Minister has stated there will be no more than 200 fewer jobs in Irish education next year than there are this year and that that will have no further impact on teaching and education. In other words, his point is this simply constitutes a loss of 200 jobs. However, my point is that such a conclusion does not factor in the increase next year in pupil population. The crucial issue is not the difference between this year and next year but the difference between this year and what would have been in place next year had the Minister made no change to the schedule. It will mean a loss of far more than 200 jobs and will be closer to the figure of 1,000. The Minister should come before the House and state that. He should fulfil the commitment he gave last week.

Second, I support very strongly the proposed amendment to the Order of Business. As the Cathaoirleach is well aware——

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