Donegal North East Sinn Féin TD, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has challenged the government to ring-fence teaching posts to ensure rural schools in areas of disadvantage are protected from staffing cuts.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn said his party will raise the issue, with the Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn, in the Dáil on Thursday and will be seeking to know “why some rural schools have been left out of the minister’s reversal in budget staffing cuts to disadvantaged schools.”
He said: “The decision by Minister Ruairí Quinn to reverse the cuts to DEIS schools after Sinn Fein’s Private Members’ Motion and following December’s budget was welcomed across the education sector as they targeted some of the most vulnerable children in education.
“The same should apply to the rural schools in Donegal and elsewhere that play an equally important role in tackling educational disadvantage.
“Last week a letter signed by teachers highlighted the plight of some rural DEIS schools that risk losing at least one concessionary teaching post. This move would appear to contradict Minister Quinn’s own public commitments and needs to be addressed urgently.
“It doesn’t make any sense if some DEIS schools are being discriminated against because of their address or because they are in a rural setting.
“I am publicly calling on the Minister Quinn to stick to his public promises and hopefully bring some clarity to this mess.
“He needs to ensure that the teaching posts are secured so that schools are able to meet the exceptional educational needs and deliver on the best educational outcomes for their pupils.”
Tags:
