The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has called for an urgent rethink on cutbacks that will force several crèches in further education colleges around the country to close in the coming weeks. The union today said that the most vulnerable students will suffer as a result of this retrogressive move. The closure is due to a cutback that formed part of the last Budget.
Speaking today, TUI President Bernie Ruane said:
“This cutback is completely unconscionable and represents a vicious cut on the most marginalised students in vocational colleges around the country. Now more than ever, it is vital that every citizen has the right to pursue their education, and these students would already have made large sacrifices just to pursue their chosen course of studies.
For many parents, the shutting of these crèches will force them to abandon their studies.
Imposing barriers that prevent people from pursuing their education or upskilling is bad economic and social policy. There is an inevitability that the small sums saved here will ultimately be paid out in the form of social welfare with no gain to the State in terms of educational progression.
This is further proof that education cutbacks are having a disproportionate effect on the most vulnerable students within the education system. Privilege continues to be subsidised at huge expense to the State in the form of the annual State payment of around €100m to private, fee paying schools.
We are calling for a reversal of the funding cuts that have created this terrible situation.”