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"Save our schools" - McConalogue
01.02.12
DEPUTY Charlie
McConalogue has warned that rural, Church of Ireland
and Gaeltacht schools in Co Donegal will be badly
hit by severe cuts from September.
He said planned cuts would result in the loss of 250
teaching posts and an increase in class sizes.
“Small schools are at the heart of communities in Co
Donegal and across the country. Removing the local
school from a community would have disastrous social
and economic consequences for that area.
"The cuts to the staffing schedules in 1, 2, 3 and 4
teacher schools in the Budget are disproportionate,
and will force schools into a situation where they
will end up merging or closing.
"This will be particularly harsh on schools in Co
Donegal as we have a higher number of Church of
Ireland schools and Gaeltacht schools." He called
the proposed cuts "a blunt instrument from the
Government".
"As almost half (47%) of the 3,200 primary schools
in the State have 5 teachers or less, the impact on
the communities around the country will be
significant. The fact that these cuts have been
announced without debate, consultation or agreement
is causing anxiety for communities who fear for the
future of small schools in their area. |
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Donegal North East TD, Charlie
McConalogue. |
“I want to see the
Government publish whatever impact analysis has been
carried out by the Department of Education on this
decision and the effect it will have. It is simply
not good enough that Ministers, TDs and Senators
support these cuts without informing the public of
the information they’re basing their decisions on."
The Gleneely-based respresentative added: “Fianna
Fáil’s motion this week calls on all TDs in the Dáil
to vote to protect existing 1, 2, 3 and 4 teacher
schools this year and in the coming years. Fianna
Fáil has provided significant investment in small
schools by doubling of the number of teachers and
upgrading school buildings over many years. This
investment can be protected and I am urging all TDs
in Co Donegal to do the right thing and vote to save
their local schools.” |
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