The INTO has said the Budget measures affecting education will be met with anger and resentment in schools. Criticising broken promises on class size, its general secretary John Carr last night said Irish primary school classes would remain the second highest in the EU.
"This is an astonishing breach of promise by a government that has clearly turned its back on pupils in primary schools. The pupils of the country have been blatantly betrayed by this Government."
He also said the funding increase of €15 a child a year would do nothing to help schools pay their bills. "A 100-pupil school will get an annual increase of only €1,500 from Government. At the exact same time local councils will take up to €5,000 in water and waste charges."
The ASTI's John White also expressed disappointment, saying the Budget did not address the shortfall in funding for second-level schools. The union, he said, was concerned that the increase of €15 in capitation grant for second-level schools did not even match inflation.
President of the Teachers' Union of Ireland Tim O'Meara highlighted the lack of significant additional supports for language teaching for newcomer students and for IT facilities.
Ferdia Kelly of the joint managerial board, the group which manages most second-level schools, described the €10 a student increase in equalisation measures for voluntary secondary schools as "derisory".
Michael Moriarty of the Irish Vocational Education Association expressed particular concern about the withdrawal of the summer works scheme used to upgrade school buildings.
"This is fundamentally an issue of health and safety for our students," he said.
