INDEPENDENT TD Jackie Healy-Rae has raised new doubts over his support for the Government in next week’s Dáil vote on cutbacks in education by demanding that the Budget proposals be radically changed.
Less than 24 hours after supporting the Government in the Dáil division on medical cards, the deputy representing Kerry South issued a statement expressing his dissatisfaction at how the Budget dealt with the education sector.
“I am not at all satisfied with the overall impact the Budget changes will have in education such as the pupil/teacher ratio increase and the suspension of substitution cover for short-term sick leave and school business.”
Mr Healy-Rae has arranged a meeting with Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe next week. “I will inform him that in order for my support radical changes have to be made.”
Later he elaborated by saying the issue was affecting his constituency in a big way. “There is fierce concern about the loss of teachers. I will talk to him [Mr O’Keeffe] about it, and that is the theme of the story. I can’t tell you what I’ll do. I can see if I can get him to do a bit of sorting out for me.”
The development came some hours after the Labour Party tabled its Private Members’ motion dealing with the budgetary cuts in education.
It is the second such motion on a controversial Budget measure tabled in successive weeks, and is seen as part of a campaign by the Opposition to intensify pressure on the Government by opening up a third possible area where it may force concessions.
The Government has consistently said the decisions made with respect to education will not be reversed.
However, an extraordinary meeting of councillors from the Green Party on Wednesday also expressed concern about the implications of increases on class size.
An estimated 10,000 third-level students also marched to Leinster House protesting at an increase in registration fees.
In spite of the defections of former Fianna Fáil TD Joe Behan and of independent TD Finian McGrath, the Government counter-motion on medical cards was passed with a majority of eight when the division was called on Wednesday night, with the Greens, the two PD TDs, and two independents, Mr Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry, all supporting.
The Labour motion deplores the education cuts, and calls on the Government to reverse the decision to increase class sizes at primary and secondary level.
Labour spokesman on education Ruairí Quinn claimed the range of cutbacks that emerged from the Budget and from the subsequent announcement by Mr O’Keeffe would cause “enormous damage” to the education system.
“There is growing anger among teachers and parents as the full implications of the cutbacks become evident.
“Already teachers are warning that some schools may have to close from January because of the cutbacks in teacher substitution.”
He said students with disabilities and those from minority or ethnic background would suffer the brunt of the cutbacks.
“The massive turnout at the [student] demonstration in Dublin illustrates the concerns of third-level students at the more than 50 per cent increase in the student registration charge and the threat to reintroduce tuition fees,” he said.
He accused the Fianna Fáil-led Government of reneging on commitments it made to reduce class sizes in its 2002 and 2007 programmes for government.
The issue will be debated for six hours over Wednesday and Thursday, with a vote called before noon on Thursday.
