THE EDUCATION sector was "sheltered as much as possible" from the tough decisions and cutbacks that had to be made in the Budget, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe has said.
Responding to the findings of a Sinn Féin survey on the effect the cutbacks will have on primary schools, Mr O'Keeffe said it was not possible to avoid making tough choices which would affect the sector in "an economic situation of unprecedented difficulty".
The survey of 110 primary schools in Dublin found 67 per cent of schools will have classes of more than 30 pupils next September, that 36 per cent of schools are set to lose at least one teacher and that almost one-quarter will lose language support teachers because of the cutbacks.
"I know that these decisions are not, of themselves, desirable and that they can only be justified by the imperative of securing the future economic stability of our nation," Mr O'Keeffe said.
He accused Sinn Féin of "opportunistic politicking" and called on Opposition parties to work with him in meeting the challenges facing the education sector in the current economic climate.
"I would ask political and sectoral interests not to engage in the politics of division but rather to work with me in the common good and in the long-term interests of this country and our children."
Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald described the findings as "a stark reminder of just how short-sighted" the Fianna Fáil and Green Party Budget choices were.
"The cutbacks which will remove teacher supervision, grants for books and hit Traveller and underprivileged children, do not show a progressive or fair outlook," she said.
"The current climate is a good time for a more expansive approach to education, as it is the key economic driver."
One of the schools that responded to the survey, St Mark's Junior School in Springfield, Tallaght, says it was expecting to lose four language support teachers. The school currently has 258 foreign-national students, which is 48 per cent of its enrolled pupils.
Ladyswell National School in Mulhuddart will also lose four language teachers, while the Educate Together School in Castleknock will lose three language support teachers.
Mr O'Keeffe said there would be "some alleviation" for the position of schools where there was a significant concentration of foreign-national pupils - to be judged on a case-by-case basis.
The survey also found that 13 schools had sanctions for new school buildings or extensions put on hold, and that 16 schools had been refused funding for maintenance problems such as leaking roofs, windows and unsafe playground surfaces.
"One school currently has five classrooms in prefabs with three of these 40 years old and another almost 50 years old. It is 32 years since Scoil Náisiúnta Eoin Baisde in Clontarf held their first meeting for a new school building," Ms McDonald said.
Mr O'Keeffe said a 10 per cent increase to his department's capital allocation for next year of €79 million would allow him to "significantly invest in school buildings throughout the country."
