Teacher unions today warned they could strike again before the Budget but insisted lost school days are necessary to secure salaries, jobs and education services.
About 1,500 education workers marched to the Department of Education headquarters on Dublin’s Marlborough Street this morning. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (Into) picketed all Department offices today as part of the public sector union one-day stoppage.
"The banks have bankrupted this country," said Into secretary for the Dublin city north branch, Niall Smyth. "Everybody is saying the public sector is holding the country for ransom, but big business has held this country for ransom for too long and that has to change.
"It's been 25 years since we took action of this kind. We don't do this lightly and if we have to go out again we will," he said.
Other teachers said salaries and job cuts were the strikers' priorities. "Today is about pay," said primary school teacher Pat Crowe from North Kildare Educate Together School in Celbridge Co Kildare. "We've worked hard for class sizes in the past 10 years and we will continue to do so. It would be wrong to say it's about the children when it isn't really.
"It is disruptive for parents - especially if they are working - and it is not good for children to miss a day at school. I'd rather be in a classroom but I feel backed up against a wall," he said.
Protesters said they believed they were paying for a gap in public finances caused by a tax revenue collapse. They called on the Government to use taxation to distribute the burden rather than cut back on public services.
They said they feared cuts would jeopardise education services with disadvantaged children worst affected as schools relied increasingly on voluntary subscriptions. "It will be bad for us but also bad for the children," said teacher John Moore.
There were complaints about increased class sizes. "They're at 1950s levels, not 1990s levels," said teacher Kate Relihan from Castaheany school in Dublin. "We're back at the start of Thatcherism. If we don't fight back now we'll have the 80s all over again."
Most reported their schools' special needs programmes were under review. Principal Bernie Sullivan of St Brigid's Senior Girls School in Dublin, said its special class was disbanded this year. "It was a big blow to the children," she said. They're not getting the support that would help them progress."
There was also concern about diminishing language support for non-Irish children. Gerry Carberry, who teaches English to non-Irish children at St Fiachra's school in Beaumont in Dublin, said that while cuts were yet to affect his programme, children were already lacking the teaching hours necessary to learn the language in the two years allotted by the Government.
Fifth class teacher Claire Leydon from Scoil Na Mainistreach in Celbridge Co Kildare said most parents supported the strike. She said: “If we don’t spend money on education now it’s going to be harder for us to get out of this recession. I don’t think it’s right to leave children at home but it’s only for a day. If cuts continue effects are going to be more long-lasting."