In advance of next month’s Budget, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said that the shameful neglect of the education system by Government must be tackled with appropriate, targeted funding. The Union has described the chronic underfunding of the sector as being ‘reputationally damaging’ to the country.
TUI represents 20,000 members in second level schools, colleges of further and adult education and Institutes of Technology/Technological Universities.
The Union has highlighted a range of critical areas that need targeted investment as a result of historic, chronic underfunding and has reiterated its position that a 1% levy should be placed on corporate profits in order to generate a dedicated fund for investment in higher education.
Speaking today, TUI President Martin Marjoram said:
‘Shameful’ funding deficit must be tackled
‘The latest figures from the OECD show that of the countries for which figures are provided, none spend a lower proportion of national wealth on education than Ireland’s (3%).[1] This shameful deterioration is reputationally damaging to the country, and next month’s Budget must begin the process of redressing this neglect.’
COVID-19 health and safety
‘As we have said at all times, whatever further resources are required for additional supports and safeguards related to COVID-19 must be provided on an ongoing basis. Health and safety must take precedence over everything else, and if public health authorities recommend any additional measures, the appropriate resourcing must be provided to all workplaces.
The effects of the chronic underfunding of education in Ireland have been put in sharp focus by the burden of the demands foisted on the system by the pandemic. As a result of a lack of adequate investment, increased bureaucratic duties and vastly stripped-back middle management structures, conditions for teachers and students have been significantly more difficult than those in other countries where education has been more appropriately funded.’
Pay discrimination damaging for educators and students
‘There has been a recruitment and retention crisis in schools for a number of years. In a survey carried out last year[2], 81% of principals said they believed that pay discrimination affecting those appointed since 2011 is a significant factor in this. This teacher supply crisis results in students missing out on subject choices or schools having to rely on ‘out of field’ teaching. Across all sectors, the scourge of pay discrimination must finally be ended.’
Second level - Historic, chronic underfunding
‘At second level, the funding situation remains dire, with Ireland’s spend (1.1%) the lowest of the 36 countries for which figures are provided[3], trailing unacceptably far behind the OECD and European averages (both 1.9%). Clearly, this has made the sustainable re-opening of schools an even greater challenge for school staff.’
Third level – Ongoing political failure to address funding crisis
‘The political system has failed to answer TUI’s repeated insistence that the era of underfunding at third level must end and ignored our demand for increased academic staffing to meet the needs of the pandemic. As a result, the ratio of students to teaching staff has increased further from 20:1 to 23:1 since last year[4], which is vastly higher than the OECD and European averages of 15:1. This is a clear indictment of the ongoing political refusal to address the sector’s funding crisis and at a time when there is an ongoing focus on the key role of education in our economic and social development, the underfunding crisis risks inflicting severe operational and reputational damage on our education system.’
‘We once again reiterate our policy that serious consideration should be given to the imposition of a 1% levy on corporate profits in order to generate a dedicated fund for investment in higher education. Based on the net receipts as set out by Revenue, such a levy could have yielded €947m in 2020.
The corporate sector has consistently derived benefit from Ireland’s excellent graduate labour pool which is largely the product of the public education system - funded by taxpayers. The introduction of a levy would further enhance the quality of the graduate labour pool, the capacity of institutions to meet evolving need and, ultimately, the sustainability of the enterprises that contribute to the fund.
This measure could be framed so as to provide necessary protections to small indigenous businesses/SMEs.’
Further and Adult Education – Terms of employment
‘There also remains much work to be done in securing appropriate contracts and terms and conditions for those working in the further and adult education sectors.’
[1] OECD ‘Education At A Glance’ 2021, (September 2021)
[2] TUI Principals and Deputy Principals’ Association survey (August 2020)
[3] OECD ‘Education At A Glance’ 2021, (September 2021)
[4] OECD ‘Education At A Glance’ 2021, (September 2021)