Dáil protest at staffing plan for smaller schools

MORE THAN 100 children from six primary schools in Longford and Westmeath gathered outside the Dáil yesterday to protest at planned changes to the staffing schedule in smaller schools.

The changes will increase the number of pupils needed for the retention of teachers.

Children, parents and teachers stood outside Leinster House, holding placards with messages such as “Save our schools”, “Abbeylara says no” and “Hey, Ruairí, leave those kids alone”.

They handed petitions and a letter to the office of Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn, urging that small schools be protected.

The protesters came from primary schools in Abbeylara, Glen, Bunlahy and Killasonna, all in Co Longford, and Finea and Castletown schools in Co Westmeath.

Mary Quinn, principal of Abbeylara National School, said the changes were a direct attack on rural Ireland and on village schools. It meant that schools wishing to retain three teachers must have 56 children rather than 49 under the old rules.

According to its projections, her school was in danger of losing a teacher next year, while Glen, Bunlahy and Killasonna national schools were facing the loss of a teacher this year.

Ms Quinn said the Government’s plan to amalgamate small schools did not make financial sense. “We’ve had huge investment in our schools in the last four or five years,” she said. The investment included refurbishments, new classrooms, football pitches and basketball courts.

“Now the Government is trying to force small schools to amalgamate, which means new buildings and huge costs. And then there’s transport costs. We’ll have empty school buildings scattered around the place. How will that save money?”

Ms Quinn said small schools were the heart of local communities and benefited greatly from volunteerism. That would be lost if the schools were forced to close and moved to a bigger centre.

Parents, teachers and local representatives will gather in Glen National School at 8pm tonight to discuss their response to the planned cutbacks.

According to the Irish Primary Principals’ Network, more than 1,200 primary schools will be affected by the new staffing rules.

Its director, Seán Cottrell, has urged the Government to look at other ways of saving money in small schools. Canada, Australia and Finland had rationalised the administration and management of small schools in remote areas without closing schools.