More than 100 Donegal schools could be hit by cuts

Donegal North East Sinn Féin TD, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has described the decision of Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s to cut large numbers of posts from DEIS schools - that is, schools that are designated disadvantaged - across Donegal as “shameful” .

Pointing out there were more than 100 such schools in Donegal Deputy Mac Lochlainn said: “The Education Ministers plan to cut large numbers of teaching posts from DEIS schools in Donegal and across the state is a devastating blow to these schools and communities worst hit socially and economically by the recession.

“The Labour Party once vowed to break the cycle of educational disadvantage created by successive Fianna Fáil led government’s yet Minister Quinn’s decision to savage DEIS teaching supports will copper fasten inequality of opportunity for our most deprived kids.

“Individual DEIS schools in Donegal will lose up to as many as five teachers.

“It is completely unacceptable that a county suffering harsh economic and social deprivation would be targeted for such an insidious cut by this Government.

“Withdrawing teaching posts under the banner of enhanced educational opportunity is perverse and a claim that no Government should stand over.

“Labour and Fine Gael need to be very clear. If they continue to pursue the least well off in society to carry the burden of unsustainable banking debt they will face an almighty battle from the communities affected in Donegal and across the state.”