Crowe welcomes Quinn’s admission of mistake in relation to DEIS schools
 
Sinn Fein Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD welcome today’s announcement from Education Minister Ruairi Quinn that he made a mistake in relation to his cuts to disadvantaged schools and called on the him to “scrap” his so-called review into the effects and loss of teachers of his budget 2012 proposals on DEIS Band 1 and 2 Schools.
 
Deputy Crowe said:
 
“While I welcome Minister Quinn’s admission that he made a mistake in cutting resources for DEIS schools, the minister should now scrap his review and reverse these cuts immediately.
 
“His budget proposals would have meant that 428 so called ‘legacy teachers’ were to be removed from severely disadvantaged schools already reeling from last year’s cut to Special Needs Assistants, Language Support Teachers, and Traveller Allocation Support Teachers.
 
“His initial announcement of a review was no more than a stalling mechanism and a pathetic attempt to cling on to his assertion that his budget proposals protected the most vulnerable children.
 
“Minister Quinn also needs to look again at his budget cuts and particularly at the disastrous impact of his Guidance Counsellor proposals will have on many schools across the state and in particular the cost to vulnerable and emotional  children in the school system.”