This article is from page 6 of the 2013-09-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE education officer for the Diocese of Killaloe has warned that continued cuts to education budgets is making the management of primary schools in Clare almost impossible.
Fr Gerry Kenny said it’s time to stop treating schools like businesses and again prioritise investment in education.
He was speaking in Ennis on Thursday night at a public meeting called by the Irish National Teacher’s Organisation (INTO) to highlight opposition to cuts to education spending in next month’s budget.
He said the cuts in capitation grants are seriously affecting the ability of volountary Boards of Management to run schools.
“Schools are being treated more and more like businesses. Most of you in boards of management will be familiar with water bills. We haven’t received it privately but in recent years the water rate bill has hit the schools and by golly is that an eyeopener,” he explained,
“We are charged for ESB and gas. It’s estimated that 1/3 of those bills are just the service charges that come to us even when the schools are closed. It’s becoming more and more difficult with the small pool of money that is being given in the capitation grants. On top of that the minor works grants have disappeared. That means there is often very little left to do essential works that often have to happen for the maintenance of the schools.”
Fr Kenny continued, “We have lived through austerity and I think on behalf of the pupils for whom we manage the schools, it’s time to say to our State, ‘You have to begin once again to prioritise investment in our schools.’”
Diocesan communications officer Fr Brendan Quinlivan told the meeting that by increasing class sizes and cutting school budgets, the Government is “storing up a whole lot of trouble for the future”.
He added, “We are effectively making enemies of our children because if we deprive them of the things that are most important – the opportunity to learn, grow and socialise, the opportunity to value who they are as individuals, the opportunity to achieve their full potential – if we deny them those things, all we will be doing is storing up resentment and anger in a society for the future.”