Over 50 Sinn Féin members and supporters, including local teachers, attended a protest in Monaghan town last Saturday to highlight the devastating impact that government cuts will have on primary and secondary schools in the county. Protestors gathered at the Courthouse in the county town and held placards stating: “Stop Education Cuts” and “Leave Our Schools Alone”. Members also distributed leaflets outlining Sinn Féin’s view that “every euro spent on the banks is a euro taken away from our children’s education”.
Speaking following the protest Clones area Councillor and former chairperson of County Monaghan VEC, Pat Treanor, said that County Monaghan schools were facing hard times ahead as cuts to education hit home.
Cllr. Treanor said:
“Monaghan pupils heading back to school this week after their summer break will have began to see the reality of the cuts that have been have been a hot topic of debate over the last number of months. Pupils have found themselves in larger classes, with limited resources and sometimes in cramped accommodation.
“Throughout County Monaghan primary and secondary schools have lost mainstream teachers and classes for children with special educational needs. This has obviously meant that good teachers have lost their jobs while other, younger teachers, are finding it difficult to get employment. In the medium term this will have a huge impact on Monaghan schools, the quality of learning and the well-being of vulnerable children.
“Many parents will be beginning to see the real costs of the Fianna Fáil cuts with the cost of sending children to school continuing to rise and more and more parents are finding themselves under immense pressure to find the money needed.
“Parents will be forced to fundraise more for the upkeep of their children’s’ school as the money is simply not there. The reality is that many parents simply cannot afford to do this. Parents are losing their back to school allowances and cuts in child benefit are looming. Many people that I have spoken to in County Monaghan have paid upwards of €800 on uniforms, school transport fees and books. This is nothing short of a scandal.
“Our children must not be made scapegoats for the reckless behaviour of this government and their cronies the bankers and developers. It’s time for us to fight back and that is what the Sinn Féin campaign ‘Leave our schools alone’ is all about. We will continue to highlight the very negative impact that Fianna Fáil cuts are having on our children’s education. This may well mean more protests in this county as we will ensure that local Fianna Fáil representatives cannot wash their hands from this issue as it is their party that is implementing these devastating cutbacks” Cllr. Treanor concluded.
Speaking following the protest Clones area Councillor and former chairperson of County Monaghan VEC, Pat Treanor, said that County Monaghan schools were facing hard times ahead as cuts to education hit home.
Cllr. Treanor said:
“Monaghan pupils heading back to school this week after their summer break will have began to see the reality of the cuts that have been have been a hot topic of debate over the last number of months. Pupils have found themselves in larger classes, with limited resources and sometimes in cramped accommodation.
“Throughout County Monaghan primary and secondary schools have lost mainstream teachers and classes for children with special educational needs. This has obviously meant that good teachers have lost their jobs while other, younger teachers, are finding it difficult to get employment. In the medium term this will have a huge impact on Monaghan schools, the quality of learning and the well-being of vulnerable children.
“Many parents will be beginning to see the real costs of the Fianna Fáil cuts with the cost of sending children to school continuing to rise and more and more parents are finding themselves under immense pressure to find the money needed.
“Parents will be forced to fundraise more for the upkeep of their children’s’ school as the money is simply not there. The reality is that many parents simply cannot afford to do this. Parents are losing their back to school allowances and cuts in child benefit are looming. Many people that I have spoken to in County Monaghan have paid upwards of €800 on uniforms, school transport fees and books. This is nothing short of a scandal.
“Our children must not be made scapegoats for the reckless behaviour of this government and their cronies the bankers and developers. It’s time for us to fight back and that is what the Sinn Féin campaign ‘Leave our schools alone’ is all about. We will continue to highlight the very negative impact that Fianna Fáil cuts are having on our children’s education. This may well mean more protests in this county as we will ensure that local Fianna Fáil representatives cannot wash their hands from this issue as it is their party that is implementing these devastating cutbacks” Cllr. Treanor concluded.
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