A FINE Gael backbencher has warned against using emotional language when talking about cutbacks in schools, and praised Labour Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn.

Jim Daly, a former primary teacher who represents Cork South West, said there was waste in the education system.

“I come from the education system and I am proud of my involvement therein. I refer to those who trot out all this emotive, nonsensical, bland rubbish, using cheap expressions such as ‘vulnerable children’ and similar razzmatazz.’’

Mr Daly said such language sounded great in the politics of protest but it was useless.

Anybody who thought a country that, irrespective of any banking bailout or banking crisis, was running a deficit of €20 billion and did not need to reform its education system and make savings was living in cloud cuckoo land.

Mr Daly said he commended Mr Quinn “for the steps he has taken thus far and, to his credit, he has been a proactive Minister in the Department of Education’’.

He added that he welcomed the protection afforded to students with special needs because they were most vulnerable. The pupil-teacher ratio would also remain the same.

He said 80 per cent of the budget was tied up in staffing costs, and it was obvious the only way money could be saved was in that area.

Mr Daly was speaking during the resumed debate on a Sinn Féin Private Members’ motion calling for the reversal of education cuts in disadvantaged schools. A review of the cuts was announced by Mr Quinn on Wednesday.

Earlier yesterday, during opposition Leaders’ Questions, Independent TD Finian McGrath said one of the most important ways out of poverty in any country was through education.

Why then was the Minister taking 428 Deis (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) teaching posts from 270 primary schools and 163 post-primary schools?

“Does the Minister really understand educational advantage?’’ Mr McGrath added.

“Why is he trying to dismantle a service that has proven to work in the past 10 years for the most needy pupils in the State?’’

Mr Quinn said 60 per cent of disadvantaged children went to normal non-Deis schools.

“Both the Government and I want to liberate children from poverty by means of education so that they can walk tall themselves. This is the intention and that is what we are trying to do by means of the review and report to be undertaken over the next four weeks.’’

Shane Ross (Ind) said he was astonished that the Government had taken a decision to attack underprivileged people, claiming it was a “foolish and heartless’’ option.

“I cannot understand how the Government can justify the extravagance in which it indulges in terms of payments to Ministers, Deputies, advisers and Senators and at the same time attack those such as the underprivileged referred to in the motion.’’

A Government amendment to the motion, endorsing its policy, was carried by 85 to 42 votes.