FINE GAEL has challenged Government backbenchers to support its Dáil motion to prevent 28 primary schools across the State from losing a teacher in the 2008/2009 school year because of a drop in enrolments.
The party's education spokesman Brian Hayes said the motion, identifying the schools, was about "real schools in real communities who will have to let real teachers go in a couple of months".
Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe said, however, that "while some 120 schools will lose a teacher in the next school year compared to this year, there will still be a net increase of some 500 teachers. The reason for this is that five times as many schools are expected to employ an additional teacher due to an increase in enrolments."
The Dáil will vote tonight on the motion and Mr Hayes said that "those deputies who support the Government need to understand the implication of their vote on this issue. They cannot hide under the comfort blanket of their party whip.
"If the Minister refuses to show flexibility on this, Government TDs will be forced to show us where they stand on local schools in their community."
The public gallery was full last night as the Fine Gael deputy insisted that the party's motion "only prevents the loss of teachers in schools from September, where those schools would otherwise have been able to keep those teachers had the Government kept its word".
Mr O'Keeffe, however, accused the Opposition of opportunism in arguing "for special treatment for some schools. If I were to change the staffing schedule to allow the schools that are due to lose a teacher to retain that teaching post, I would be treating them differently from other schools with the exact same number on the rolls, and I do not propose to do so."
He said that in any year enrolments fall, but "equally when enrolments increase a school can gain a teacher under the operation of the staffing schedule".
The Minister said that "the current allocation is based on an average of 27 pupils per teacher and the fact that schools make individual choices in assigning teachers to class groups. With more than 20,000 individual classes spread across all schools throughout the country, there will always be differences in individual class sizes."
John Cregan (FF, Limerick West) said the figure on class sizes "is agreed by all the parties in education". He was confident that the Minister would honour commitments over the Government's term in office.
Jan O'Sullivan (Lab, Limerick East) "was absolutely flabbergasted at the nerve of the Government". In "times of plenty it could not be done and now the money is not there it won't be done".
FG list of schools set to lose a teacher
Primary schools scheduled to lose a teacher for the
year 2008/2009:
SN Naomh Pádraig, Báile Uí Mhurchadha,
Buirgheas, Co Ceatharlach
Our Lady of Mercy, Bantry, Co Cork
SN Barra Naofa Buachailli, Beaumont, Cork City
Christ King Mon, Turners Cross, Cork City
St Columba's Boys NS, Douglas, Cork City
Baldoyle BNS, Brookstone Road, Baldoyle, Dublin
St Patrick's NS, Chapelizod, Dublin
Corpus Christi NS, Home Farm Road, Drumcondra, Dublin
SN an Spioraid Naoimh, GNS, Sillogue Road, Ballymun,
Dublin St Killian's Senior NS, Castleview, Tallaght, Dublin
Presentation Primary School, Terenure, Dublin
St Kevin's Junior NS, Newbrook Avenue, Donaghmede, Dublin
Scoil Pádraig Naofa Boys NS, Hollypark, Foxrock, Dublin
St Mary's Senior NS, Rowlagh, Clondalkin, Dublin
Scoil Colmcille Naofa, Knocklyon, Templeogue, Dublin
St Francis Xavier Senior NS, Coolmine, Castleknock, Dublin
St Patrick's Girls NS, Foxrock Avenue, Foxrock, Dublin
Scoil Mhúire, Killorglin, Co Kerry
Scoil Eoin, Tralee, Co Kerry
Aghards NS, Celbridge, Co Kildare
Mercy Convent Primary School, Naas, Co Kildare
JFK Memorial School, Ennis Road, Limerick
Muire na nGael NS, Bay Estate, Dundalk, Co Louth
Oliver Plunkett NS, Navan, Co Meath
Ratoath Jnr NS, Ratoath, Co Meath
Spioraid Naomh, Laytown, Co Meath
Rathcormack NS, Rathcormack, Co Sligo
Scoil na mBraithre, Tipperary, Co Tipperary
