TUI President Don Ryan today said:

"TUI estimates that changes to the mechanism used to calculate teachers at second level will result in a reduction of almost 1,000 teachers from the current quota at second level by the start of the next school year.

T his is in addition to the 130 job cuts that would be induced by withdrawal of funding to certain disadvantaged schools.

Such a staffing cull will have a devastating effect on education in this country, effectively limiting the potential of the next generation of students. 

Everybody understands the current fiscal constraints, but a reduction in teaching numbers of this magnitude is akin to the Titanic's captain choosing to accelerate towards the iceberg.   

It is absolutely unbelievable and we will fight it vigorously.

We are seeking urgent clarification from the Minister on this matter, which would be the death knell on any hopes of economic recovery.

It is bad enough that families have been blitzed with a barrage of new tax levies and charges, but this cut - which Minister Lenihan did not even allude to during his speech - is a hefty tax on our children's futures.

This Budget should have targeted resources towards the disadvantaged; instead it has targeted the disadvantaged for particular hardship through its various cuts.

Ethnic minority students will be targeted by the reduced resources for English language provision, while The Back to Education Initiative is to be slashed by 500 places.

The restriction of vital aid for school book schemes and the reduction of capitation funding for Travellers will add to the misery of families already reeling from tax increases. "