Over 400 attend school cuts meeting

Independent councillor John Leahy has said it's up to local TDs to take the arguments against small and DEIS primary school cuts to central government in the wake of a well attended meeting in Tullamore last Monday organised by him. A crowd of over 400 including teachers, students, parents and public representatives gathered in the Tullamore Court Hotel on February 13. The meeting was addressed by main speaker Brian O'Reilly from the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) as well as Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen, Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan and principals from two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher schools. Under new arrangements DEIS school resources are to be cut from September, while pupil numbers required for additional teachers in schools with up to four teachers are to increase. Speaking at the meeting Deputy Cowen described the cuts as "deeply unfair" and said it will no doubt force the closure of a number of smaller schools in this region. "This is an underhand tactic to force schools to amalgamate," he said. "While it may suit some schools of similar ethos in the same area, here in Co. Offaly we have many different types of smaller schools, be they Church of Ireland schools or schools in more rural areas, that are simply not in a position to merge with others. "Not only is it incredibly unfair to target the most vulnerable children like this, it is also incredibly short-sighted," he continued. "The long-term costs far outweigh the short-term gain. Children only get one chance in life, and pulling supports from those who are most vulnerable will diminish their chances at a happy and successful school life. It will undo years of progress we have made on tackling educational disadvantage." Fine Gael's Charlie Flanagan also spoke at the meeting, and attracted hecklers and 'Save Our Schools' chants. Deputy Cowen said he appreciated Deputy Flanagan's attendance at the meeting however, but added it's now "up to him to tell his Fine Gael colleagues in Cabinet just how concerned parents and teachers in his constituency are about these unfair cuts". Organiser Cllr Leahy agreed with this. He said what he was trying to achieve by organising this week's meeting was a snowball effect. People who attended from other counties are now going about arranging similar meetings he said, and after getting the point across now it's up to constituency TDs to exert their influence on the matter at central government level.