Munster Express Online

Waterford City Council has called on government to maintain investment in primary education, to avoid increasing class sizes and ensure that educational opportunities for children are protected in these economically challenging times.

A motion to that effect, tabled by Cllr Pat Hayes at Monday night’s Council meeting, received unanimous support.

Cllr Hayes said that since the motion was placed on the agenda last March the government, having been forced to reverse an attack on old age pensioners, was now targeting young children instead.

He argued that it was through education of our youth that the Celtic Tiger grew and an awful price would be paid if we failed to maintain education standards now that we had hit hard times.

Cllr David Cullinane, seconding, said all schools were losing teachers and special needs assistants and if the government wanted to build a smart economy then it was not being very smart in depriving children of education which would help us along that road. He said he would be happy to pay extra tax for the purpose if necessary.