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The Minister for Education is continuing to sleepwalk through the teacher recruitment crisis in our schools, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “The annual teachers’ conferences taking place this week should refocus Minister Foley’s mind on one of the most serious challenges facing our education […]

The planned expansion of the School Transport Scheme must be rolled out in tandem with a major overhaul of the system, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “According to reports over the weekend, Minister for Education Norma Foley is working on an expansion of […]

Changes to Special Education Teaching allocations will have a devastating impact on children with additional needs, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “The decision by the Department of Education to completely remove children with complex needs as a criteria for the allocation of Special Education […]

The Department of Education’s failure to plan for population growth and local demand has resulted in a deepening secondary school enrolment crisis for parents and students, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s children’s spokesperson, said: “The shortage of second level places is a major issue in my Wicklow […]

The Minister for Education has failed to treat the teacher recruitment crisis in our schools with the urgency it deserves, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “A survey of over 1,000 primary and special schools conducted last month found there were more than 800 vacant […]

Budget 2024 missed an opportunity to make primary and secondary school education in Ireland genuinely free, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s education spokesperson, said: “Although the provision of free schoolbooks up to Junior Certificate level is welcome, it is baffling that the Government chose to take a […]

For this year’s intake of college students, the joy of receiving CAO offers has been replaced with a fear of not being able to find a place to live  This year’s cohort of third level entrants are facing the greatest student accommodation crisis in the history of the State, according to Social Democrats TD Gary […]

Parents are sick and tired of forking out huge sums of money on schoolbooks that will have to be recycled Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called on the Government to address the high cost of schoolbooks for parents of secondary school students. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on children, said: “I know […]

The monopoly control of the Catholic Church on our primary schools is a relic from another era The Education Minister must review the school divestment programme after the Census revealed a sharp drop in the number of people who call themselves Catholic, according to Social Democrats Education Spokesperson Gary Gannon. “The Census has revealed that the […]

Social Democrats previously called for review of Professional Master of Education course to help increase the supply of teachers  Schools will continue to experience serious teacher shortages when the new term begins next September if the Minister for Education fails to address the ongoing recruitment crisis, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon. Deputy Gannon, […]