MORE THAN 1,000 teaching posts in primary schools will be lost next year, according to new data compiled by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO).
The data, based on the number of pupils enrolled on September 30th, 2008, and applying the cuts as outlined in the Budget, shows cuts in primary schools right across the State.
The Budget changes include: the increase in class sizes from 27 to 28 which cuts teacher numbers; the loss of teaching posts from schools no longer designated as disadvantaged; and a new ceiling of a maximum of two language support teachers for most schools.
Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe insists only 200 posts will go in the State's 3,300 national schools. Last night, a spokesman for the Minister stood over the figure of 200 overall net job losses in both primary- and second-level sectors.
The spokesman said Budget changes had to be weighed against "the increases expected in the numbers of teachers because of demographic changes and resource teachers for special needs. This will mean an overall net reduction of 200 posts in each sector. This is less than 1 per cent of the overall number of teaching posts now in schools."
According to the INTO data, 22 posts will be lost in Galway city, while there will be 19 fewer primary teaching jobs in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Six jobs will go in one school (St Oliver's) in Killarney, Co Kerry, while five will go at the Christian Brothers national school in Tralee, Co Kerry. St Brigid's, Midleton, in Cork, will lose five teachers and St Louis Infant School, Rathmines, Dublin, will lose four teachers.
Last night, INTO general secretary John Carr said it was clear claims by the Minister that 200 jobs will be lost in primary schools "could now be dismissed as fantasy".
Mr Carr said: "The extent of the cuts in primary education are so severe that class sizes will increase by four or five extra pupils. This is completely different from the increase of one pupil per class that the Minister and other Fianna Fáil TDs are claiming."
He called on Fianna Fáil TDs to establish the impact of the cuts in every school in their constituencies before accepting the Minister's "spin" of classes increasing by one pupil only. "Any TD repeating the line that class sizes will increase by one pupil only is failing to represent their electorate."
Mr Carr said a number of TDs had found out for themselves the true impact of the cuts and have undertaken to challenge the Minister on his figures.
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and school managers have also disputed the Minister's claim that only 200 posts will go at second level. John White, general secretary of the ASTI, says up to 1,000 posts will be lost at second level because of the Budget changes.
The campaign against the education cuts will step up today with the launch of a joint campaign by the INTO, the Irish Primary Principals Network, the National Parents' Council and the seven management bodies which control primary schools.
The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) predicted a significant increase in student drop-out levels before the Leaving Cert because of the Budget cuts. A number of specific programmes which promote student retention have been hit by the cuts.
TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin says one-fifth of students do not stay to complete the Leaving Cert.
"Cuts to the Leaving Cert applied and Junior Cert schools programme are a direct attack on those most vulnerable students whose retention within the system for both the Junior and Leaving Cert cycles is already an uphill struggle.
"A whole generation of marginalised young people have had their futures thrown into turmoil by these cuts," he said.
