Parents to descend on Dáil to protest over education cuts
Wednesday December 03 2008
HUNDREDS of teachers, parents and pupils are expected to travel to Dublin on Saturday to protest at the recent budget cuts in education.
Many schools throughout the town have written to parents asking for their support at the rally, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of people from all over the country.
Buses to Dublin have been organised and will leave Drogheda at 11am from O'Raghallaigh's football grounds and from Ballsgrove.
A number of schools in Drogheda will lose between one and four teachers as a result of the government's budget measures, which include increasing class sizes.
Teachers Union INTO and ASTI are hoping the support from parents and children will disprove the recent controversial statement by the Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe.
The minister claimed: 'The only people raising issues about the increase in class sizes are school teacher's unions and school teacher's unions are only interested in school teachers.'
Secondary school teachers in the town have also called on parents to mobilise their numbers and attend the protest so that 'the depth of feeling against these cuts will be reflected in the level of attendance at the protest event'.
43 secondary school teachers in County Louth are expected to lose their jobs by September next year.
In addition, no cover will be provided for sick days and other leave.
A number of second level schools have written to parents asking for their support.
Included are St Oliver's Community College who said that the reduction in education funding 'will put additional financial and educational stresses on the smooth running of the school'.
A recent survey carried out by the Post Primary Education Forum (PPEF) in Louth revealed that post primary schools in the county will lose € 475,000 from their working capital leaving a shortage of money to implement many of the curriculum requirements, including compulsory geography field trips, theatre visits and many CSPE action projects.
The survey shows Drogheda will lose 19.5 teachers and finance of € 125,000 with the loss of at least 28 hours of Special Needs assistance.
- FIONA MAGENNIS
