Joe Higgins Signs TUI Anti-Education Cuts Pledge

Posted by Joe Higgins On May - 20 - 2009

Joe Higgins has signed an eleciton pledge of the Teachers Union of Ireland. He has pledged his full opposition to al the education cuts, and to keep up the fight against them.

Education should not be made pay for the crisis caused by Fianna Fail and their friends in big business. Joe believes the unions need to stand up and fight the cuts, fighting to defeat this viscious government.

This is the pledge he signed:

Do you believe that a well educated workforce is essential for the future development of the economy? YES
Do you believe that spending in frontline services should be regarded as an investment? YES
Do you agree with the frontline education service being exempted from spending cuts in the public services? YES
Will you commit to opposing cuts in the frontline education services if you are elected? YES
If elected will you commit to seeking to reverse cuts already announced in front line education services in the 2008/2009 Budget? YES

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Joe Higgins has supported all the protests against the education cuts, arguing that the unions must step up the fight

And here is some information provided by the TUI:

Budgetary Cutbacks in Education 2008/09

Capital

· School capital budget down by 5m

Teacher numbers/ posts

· Pupil teacher ratio revised upwards from 18 to 1 19 to 1.

· There will be an additional one-point adjustment for fee-charging post-primary schools

· The ceiling of two on the number of language support teachers per school is being re-imposed (details of any alleviation schools where there is a significant concentration of newcomer pupils is not yet known)

· Withdrawal of teacher posts under previous disadvantage schemes to non-DEIS schools.

Teacher substitution arrangements

· Suspension of substitution cover for absences arising from uncertified sick leave and school business

Early Retirement Scheme for Teachers

· Scheme is being suspended with immediate effect.

Withdrawal and Abolition of specific grants:

· Choirs and Orchestras

· Home Economics

· Physics and Chemistry

· Junior Certificate Schools Programme

· Leaving Certificate Applied

· LCVP

· Transition Year

· Reduction in capitation funding for Travellers

· Withdrawal of capitation funding for schools not in the DEIS programme but in receipt of top-up funding under previous disadvantage initiatives.

· Support services grant in some fee-charging schools

· School book aid to non – DEIS schools.

· Library grants to local authorities to support school library services.

· Per capita subvention to summer courses in Irish colleges (Gaeltacht areas)

· Annual Grant Centre for Talented Youth

· Grant for foreign qualified teachers attending Irish courses in the Gaeltacht.

Higher Education

· The current estimates provision for higher education down by €43m (down to €1,844m from €1,887m). Increase in the student registration charge from €900 to up to €1,500

· Restrictions in the implementation of approved projects under the Strategic Innovation Fund

· Deferral of planned 2009 increases in medical education places.

· Restrictions in the volume of awards made by the two Research Councils (Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences).

· No increases in student maintenance grants.

Adult and further education

· The non-pay grant provision for adult and further education will be reduced by 5% (approx half million) from 8.5m.

· Reduction of 500 places on the Back to Education Initiative

· Reduction of 100 places provided in Senior Traveller Training Centres will be reduced by approximately 100.

Youth

· Youth services grants reduced by just over 8pc – from €52.6m to €48.2m.

Teacher education

· Teacher in-service education support down by €5m (down to €28.8m from €33.8m.

· Reduction in teacher secondments to in-service and programmes that are not in an expansionary or prioritised phase curtailed.

School transport

· School transport charge to increase from an annual fee of €168 for junior cycle children and €234 for senior cycle children to a single annual fee of €300 (summer 2009).

· Maximum amount payable per single family, regardless of the number of children using the school transport system, will be €650 annually. Eligible children in families who hold a medical card or children with special needs are exempt from the charges.

Department’s regional office service

· A 26pc reduction – rationalise and prioritise some services, seek efficiencies in the operation of the Department’s regional office network.

Other current

· Increase in examinations and certification fees – State Examinations Commission (SEC) by 8%; Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) ; Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC).

Reduction in Payroll costs (July 2008)

· 3% in payroll costs across Government organisations in 2009 and other restrictions to apply in order to effect cost savings in consultancy, advertising and other administrative areas.

Rationalisation of bodies

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, HETAC and FETAC will be amalgamated.

Moratorium on promotional posts

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Joe Higgins TD

Socialist Party TD for Dublin West