Primary Class Size Increase Will Further Disadvantage Children
Speaking following the Dail Debate on Education cuts yesterday, Green Party Councillor Malcolm Noonan has spoken of his outrage at the refusal of Education Minister, Batt O Keefe to reconsider the class size issue and other unfair measures delivered in the 2009 budget. He also expressed his disappointment that his own party is not taking a stronger stand on the issue at cabinet level.
‘Ireland now has the second highest primary class sizes in the OECD Countries and has seen overall spending on education as a percentage of GDP fall to well below the European average during the boom years. Primary education is already chronically under funded and these cuts will further disadvantage children and place increased pressure on school resources which are already at breaking point’, stated the Green Party Councillor.
Councillor Noonan spoke at a Green Party meeting last week about the education cuts and pointed out to Party Leader, John Gormley and other party members that any budgetary measures that directly affect children or marginalised groups are unacceptable.
‘I am disappointed that we have not exercised more leverage to have these measures reversed. It could be done within the framework of a supplementary budget in the new year and many of the proposals made by Deputy Paul Gogarty could achieve the same savings to the department without affecting vulnerable groups’, he said.
‘I also do not agree with the Education Minister’s assertion that teachers and parents are scaremongering, in fact I feel that the effects are being played down by Government. I find it very difficult to accept that a party such as ours that has put equal access to education as a central plank of our manifesto can stand over these cuts. While it is difficult to reconcile this with the positive change our Ministers are making in their respective Departments, I will continue to voice my dissatisfaction with the savagery of these cuts and their effects on the future of our children and this country’, concluded Cllr Noonan.
This is a press release I issued following the Borough Council’s purchase of St Mary’s Church and Graveyard. I have to say, I felt very proud signing the purchase agreement and to have played a part in bringing this day about. The Church of Ireland and trustees of St Mary’s have to be commended for taking care of it for so long under difficult circumstances. This site sparked my imagination… Continue reading
Following the decision by An Bord Pleanala to refuse planning for a major retail development at the former Mart site in Kilkenny City, Mayor Malcolm Noonan is calling Continue reading
The need for dedicated grounds for Kilkenny’s fastest growing sport has been put to Kilkenny Co Council’s parks staff by Mayor Malcolm Noonan. Cricket is becoming increasingly popular among people of all ages in Kilkenny and was once played widely throughout the county. Mayor Noonan feels that Kilkenny needs a cricket ground
September16th to 22nd is European Mobility Week and Kilkenny as a registered participating city has a journey to go in becoming a model for sustainable transport, walking and cycling. Kilkenny Mayor Malcolm Noonan is confident that Kilkenny can become a leader among regional towns in reducing car dependency and moving towards walking
Matters Brought Forward By Direction of the Mayor to Kilkenny Borough Council Meeting 21/9/09
These are just some of the initiatives I have been involved in over the months of July and August; I reported this to members at September’s Borough Council Meeting
The Mayor acknowledges the work done by Sheasky and Borough staff on their own four in a row welcome home ceremony for… Continue reading
