This is a very timely motion due to children returning to schools after the summer break, students returning to universities this month, and the upcoming Budget in October.

Speaking to one special needs teacher while on the Luas last Saturday, I heard first-hand, in a blow-by-blow account, how low morale is among teachers.

In the majority of classrooms around the country teachers are fighting against the pressures of endless cut backs, they are tired and overworked, and to be honest, she said, completely worn out from the past few years of treatment that undermines their work and ability to teach.

They are at breaking point, as can be seen by the decision of ASTI member’s to reject the Haddington Road Agreement and to vote for some form of industrial action.

They are not doing this for selfish or self-centred reasons. They are doing it because they see our education system crumbling in front of their eyes every day.

They are at the coalface and see the disgraceful cuts backs in special needs education and the heart breaking affect this is having on the lives of students and their parents.

She spoke of their rights being trampled on and the lack of fairness and equality in the Government’s cuts and their austerity measures that are impacting on the most vulnerable.

Minister when is the Government going to wake up and acknowledge that teachers and their work places can take no more cuts?

Yes our educational system is in need of drastic reform, but austerity measures are not the response that is needed.

This year’s Barnardos School Costs Survey highlights again that on average, parents are paying €350 in Back to School Costs for a child in senior infants, €400 for children in fourth class in primary school, and €785 for children going into first year in secondary school.

Families are being crippled by this government’s austerity measures and budget cutbacks, and the last thing they should have to worry about is will they be able to afford to send their children to school.

Parents are now being forced to cut back on other essential services or approaching money leaders who demand huge interest payments so that their children can attend school in September and receive a basic education.

One of the biggest school expenses for parents, and an issue I have consistently raised, is schools forcing students to wear expensive crested uniforms.

74% of parents of primary school children and 97% of parents of secondary school children told Barnardos that they had to buy uniforms with the school crest on them, which greatly added to the cost.

I am on record for having publicly called on you, as Education Minister, to pro- actively introduce measures to eliminate this school uniform racket when I was Sinn Féin’s Education Spokesperson.

Parents don’t want excuses Minister. They want to see an end to this rip-off.

It is simply not good enough when the Government insist it is down to parents to lobby schools so that they are forced to introduce more affordable ways of paying for school uniforms and text books.

It is true that each School Board of Management is responsible for matters of school policy and governance but they are also responsible to the school patron and ultimately, to the Minister for Education.