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Class sizes to be debated in the Dáil
Posted on October 24, 2008 at 03:26 PM
One of the many savage cuts in the recent Budget concerns education and in particular class sizes.
As recently as last year, Fianna Fail promised that class sizes would be reduced from 27 to 24 over the next three years, but instead, thanks to this budget, they been increased to 28!
Children, parents and educator in every school right across the country are rightly concerned about this, which is why we in Labour have decided to use our time in the Dail next week to put forward a motion urging the Govt to reverse this crazy plan.
Labour's Education Spokesperson Ruairi Quinn said: "There are a whole range of issues that we could have included in the Labour Party motion but we decided to concentrate on the issue of class sizes at first and second level, because this is an issue that will affect virtually every pupil and every school in the country.
"Not only has Fianna Fail totally reneged on commitments it gave prior to both the 2002 and 2007 general elections to reduce class sizes, but this must surely be the first time in living memory that any Government has taken a policy to deliberately increase class sizes.
The full wording of the motion is available in our media centre.
Meanwhile in the Seanad next week Senators will be debating a motion calling on the Government to reverse its decision to cut disability allowance for 16 and 17 year olds. You can find out more about Seanad motion also in our media centre.
Here's the action you can take on both these issues; contact your local Fianna Fail, Green and PD TDs and Senators and ask them how they will vote in the debates. We have seen just how effective the lobby carried out by our elderly people was, so make sure the person representing you knows how you feel about these issues. You can also tell us how you feel in the comment section below.
You can also email your FF, PD and Green TDs and Senators to the Oireachtas, all Oireachtas emails begin with firstname.lastname@oir.ie
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Comments
Can I commend the Labour Party for taking a stance in protecting our children's education. Our children are already in overcrowded, decrepit, damp, smelly classrooms and now the Government wants to make things worse by cramming more children in! I cannot believe that the would actively seek to make our childrens schooldays more intolerable and damage their educational progress in this way. Todays schoolchildren are the workforce (and voters) of the future. They are not the ones to benefit from the Celtic Tiger over the past number of years. Could you please suggest on Wednesday that maybe the Government could seek to recoup some money from these people? Builders, Auctioneers, Developers,Bankers,Tax shelters,Doctors receiving 4 times the rate for seeing a medical card holder! I could go on. It is unforgiveable to attack the children now the country is in a mess. We are the adults in all this-please ask FF to start behaving as such. Thank you and good luck on Wednesday. I, along with many others, will be watching events closely. Labour are the party to stand out as having principles in all this - We will remember you in the local and general elections. FF seem to think we have short memories, we don't!
Can I ask the Labour Party for protection ? We are not Irish, our child is not speaking English. How can somebody take away language support teachers? Where should we look for any help now? Who can give to our child a chance for equal start? Without this help he will learn English language next 2-3 years. In class where are 28 children nobody will have extra time for one child only. This is very unfair to hit in children because FF has budget problem. Children will not go for election in 2010, but we will. And FF should know it. We hope LP can change this strange and horrible decision. With your help we will give to our child normal childhood without big stress and without tears.
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