Meath Sinn Féin picket FF Minister’s Office

Sinn Féin Cllr Tóibín Peadar Tóibín led a large crowed on a picket outside the Navan offices of Fianna Fáil Minister Noel Dempsey last Friday. The picket was held as part of the ongoing campaign by Meath Sinn Féin against the severe cuts being introduced in schools around the county this week . According to Cllr Tóibín some parents have been hit with bills up to €800 for books and school uniforms. Many parents will not be able to pay these amounts and their children will go with out school books this term. Indeed this week we have seen teachers unions warning teachers that they will be teaching children with out books. There is now a real fear school children from disadvantaged backgrounds may not attend school if they have no books and as a result will be lost to the education system. At the picket Cllr Peadar Tóibín stated ‘what makes these cuts particularly nauseating is that they are targeting children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

Meath Sinn Féin have also tabled a motion for the September meeting of Navan Town Council calling on the government to reverse these savage cuts. ‘ We aim to send a strong message to the government that they are implementing these cuts against the wishes of the people. Meath Sinn Féin will be in contact with every school in the county in order to ascertain the depth of these cuts and also to mobilise opposition. We will hold a public meeting in the county to allow parents, teachers and students also have their say and fight for our children’s future’.

According to Cllr Tóibín ‘FF and the Green Party have axed a raft of significant and important education services across schools in Meath. But they are not finished yet. If Fianna Fáil have their way and implement the McCarthy report a further 3400 teaching posts will be axed, small rural schools will be amalgamated, a further  2,000 special needs teachers will be axed, a further 1,000 language support teachers will be cut and the cost of school transport will be increased. These cuts are not necessary. It is a simple matter of priorities. Do we bail out the backs or educate our children. We in Meath need to force the government to reorder their priorities. To do that parents, teachers and students must come together and vocalise their disgust. We need to tell the government to leave our schools alone.

 

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