Around 200 parents & children from schools in Wexford and Dublin were joined by United Left Alliance TDs Richard Boyd Barrett, Joan Collins, Joe Higgins, Clare Daly & Seamus Healy in a protest at Leinster House today over cust to special needs assistants and reductions in resource teaching allocations to children with special needs in schools. Speaking at the protest Richard Boyd Barrett TD said "the Government is sacrificing children’s needs to placate the ECB, EU and IMF. Over 200 schools will receive letters this week telling them that they will lose special needs assistants. Some schools have already received them. The removal of these vital supports is not only grossly unfair – it is utterly short-sighted and economically stupid.”
The United Left Alliance, as part of the Technical Group in the Dail will table a motion next month proposing a reversal of the cuts. Just last week over 60 people attended a meeting on the issue in Dublin to campaign on the issue and were addressed by teachers, SNA’s, parents and hosted by United Left Alliance TD Richard Boyd Barrett.
RTE News Report on the protest HERE
TV3 News Report on the protest HERE
If you would like to get involved in the campaign, contact Richard Boyd Barrett’s Office on: 01-6183449