TEACHING MATTERS:There is a growing recognition that Ireland is now confronted by a radical problem. However, it is much less clear what a radical solution might look like. The current economic crisis has developed with a pace and depth which is unprecedented in our history and differentiates it fundamentally from that of the 1980s.

That particular crisis was in process for almost 10 years before it culminated in the McSharry budgets of the late 1980s. By then, the issues were well understood and there was a degree of political consensus - most notably the Tallaght Strategy - around the preferred solutions.

This particular crisis is almost seismic in its suddenness and impact. Undoubtedly hindsight will show that the signs of an impending storm were indeed there for all to see. The reality is, however, that few did see them, and that those few who did, were frequently pilloried as "prophets of doom".

Two further factors differentiate this crisis from that of the 1980s. Firstly, there is a far higher level of private citizen indebtedness today than then. This level of debt gives little scope for a consumer-led recovery.

Secondly, the 1980s marked a period of warm relationships with our European partners. These relationships cushioned us from the worst aspects of the recession and European funding, particularly in the form of the Social Fund and the Structural Funds, underpinned much of the recovery of the following two decades.

Such lifeboats are not available today. In the last few weeks, more than 100,000 people have marched in the towns and cities of Ireland in protest at the education cuts. The protests illustrate the extent of public dismay and anger. They have uniquely united parents, children and teachers around a common cause and have positioned the education sector as a core priority in dealing with the new economic realities.

This is a significant achievement on the part of the education community. However, it now needs to be built upon and new solutions must be found. Protest on its own will always run the risk of generating a lot of heat but little light.

It is clear that the institutional structures in Ireland must deal in new ways with the economic situation.With regard to education, this should begin with the establishment of an education sector forum which would act as a think-tank to advise the Minister and the Department.

The forum should be charged with the task of protecting the gains made in education through the last decades; it should formulate proposals with reference to the long-term and immediate priority of investment in education and to the requirement that there is no diminution in the quality of the educational experience of every child in the system. The forum should be inclusive of all the sectors, from pre-school to higher, and all the partners in education and should look at the allocation of resources within and between the sectors. Equally, it should be free to reflect on the allocation of resources outside of the education sector, which might be more effectively invested in education.

Recognising the urgency of the situation, the forum should report by summer 2009. Finally, as an act of good faith, the Government should suspend the education cuts announced in the Budget while it awaits the report of the forum.