More than 100 disadvantaged schools across Donegal will not now lose teachers.
A decision by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn in the Dail this evening means that the Government will not cut the posts.
The U-turn came after a Sinn Fein motion condemning the cuts in the Dail.
Labour Party Senator Jimmy Harte said the move shows that his party has the welfare of the future generations of schoolchildren most in mind.
The Letterkenny Senator told Donegaldaily.com that he had spoken with the Education Minister just minutes before he was due to make his announcement this evening.
“The Labour Party and the Government came in for a lot of criticism when these cuts were announced.
“But the Minister has now reversed his decision on DEIS schools and I welcome that.
“Not only has the Minister reversed his decision but he has also promised that he will not close down any rurals schools in the immediate future.
“Of course all schools in all regions will have to be looked at and where possible some schools may have to be amalgamated eventually. But that will be a very last resort.
“The bottom line here is that the Minister has reversed the decision to cut posts at DEIS school and that is the single most important issue,” he said.
The decision to cut the posts had been slammed by opposition parties including Sinn Fein.
Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn had described the decision as “shameful” .
“Individual DEIS schools in Donegal will lose up to as many as five teachers.
“It is completely unacceptable that a county suffering harsh economic and social deprivation would be targeted for such an insidious cut by this Government.
“Withdrawing teaching posts under the banner of enhanced educational opportunity is perverse and a claim that no Government should stand over.
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