THE DEPARTMENT of Education is seeking cutbacks in a key service for vulnerable young people.
The department's social inclusion unit has demanded a 3 per cent cut in payroll costs in the school completion programme.
Last night, the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) said it was "shocking and abhorrent that the most vulnerable in society would be targeted in this manner". Irish National Teachers' Organisation general secretary John Carr demanded an immediate reversal of the decision, which he said would hurt the most disadvantaged children in our schools.
The cuts appear to contradict earlier assurances from Ministers that primary and second-level education would not be subjected to cutbacks.
On its website, the department calls the programme "a key component of the strategy to discriminate positively in favour of children and young people who are at risk of or who are experiencing educational disadvantage". The programme targets those at risk of leaving school early, particularly before the Junior or Leaving Cert. It typically includes in-school support, including one-to-one mentoring, reading and an early-bird club for vulnerable children.
Last night, a spokesman for Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe confirmed the proposed cut to The Irish Times, but he maintained no "frontline" services would be hit.
However, TUI president Don Ryan said the cutback was "simply unfathomable. For a small financial rebate, the department would jeopardise the future of scores of vulnerable young people around the country and effectively contribute to the problem of early school leaving".
The correspondence from the department's social inclusion unit, sent to school leaders involved in the programme, states: "While you have authority to manage how such savings are achieved, immediate steps must be taken to apply whatever restrictions are necessary to recruitment and other payroll costs that will deliver the full 3 per cent in 2009."
The letter continues: "In view of the overall pressures within which the 2009 Estimates are being framed, it can be anticipated that the 3 per cent saving target will be a minimum requirement to stay within allocation, and such savings should be sustainable over the longer term.
"In that regard, all possible further pay and non-pay efficiency measures that can yield savings beyond the 3 per cent level should be identified."
The department also seeks a cut of at least 50 per cent next year in consultancy, advertising, PR and other non- pay spending. A similar saving has been demanded from third-level colleges.
Education sources said last night there would be no significant diminution of service. They added job losses were not expected but it was likely that there would be a freeze on further recruitment. The Minister's spokesman said the department had, in common with other departments, moved to implement the Government's decision on public spending.
