EDITOR - For the third year in a row Government has refused to reduce the appointment and retention figures for primary teachers.

This is despite the fact that, with falling enrolments, they could have reduced class sizes at no additional cost to the Exchequer.

Last October’s Budget saw the current coalition failing to deliver on its own commitment to bring class sizes to the EU average of 19. Now, this latest decision is yet another own goal from the Government – one that will have grave implications for hundreds of schools next September.

A huge number of mainstream class teaching posts will be suppressed, administrative principals and deputy principals will be lost, single classes will become multi-classes and some small schools will close.

Even though the overall total of special education teaching posts will increase marginally next September, the allocation of special education teaching hours has been reduced for one in five primary schools, at a time when the number of children with additional needs in mainstream classes is rising.

Government found €19m extra to stop special needs assistants being redeployed this summer. While this is a welcome investment, without comparable and essential funding for SETs, it means children with additional needs will still ultimately be short-changed.

To stop this haemorrhaging of teaching posts, which is severely damaging the primary education system and jeopardising children’s futures, the INTO will apply sustained pressure on Minister Naughton and Government politicians between now and the next Budget day to ensure that their promises to reduce class sizes are not broken once again.

We will also continue our campaigning for additional special education teaching staff to cater for the diverse needs of our pupil population.

John Boyle,

INTO General Secretary.

The average size of a class in the EU is 19 pupils.

Extortionate prices for some Easter eggs

EDITOR -   I love chocolate. I really do. However, I do not love it at any cost, and in the case of Easter eggs, this cost comes in the form of a triple threat. Firstly the financial cost – some of these oviform pockets of air encased in a thin shell of choccie must surely be coming straight from the Strait of Hormuz, given the extortionate prices in some outlets. Wait until next Tuesday, once the Easter eggs-travaganza has passed and they’ll be sold off for less than the price of their packaging.

Secondly, and now that I’ve mentioned it – the packaging. The cost to the environment, even if all of this glorious wrapping is recyclable and whatnot, is just unnecessary. That amount of cardboard, plastic, ink and foil for a very small amount of product contained within is mind-boggling, not to mention the environmental cost of production, transport and ultimately, recycling and disposal. I would say that the sales window for Easter eggs is also very short, and therefore further question the need for all the packaging, but it seems they need to survive longer and longer – it’s ok to start selling fancy chocolate eggs as soon as Christmas is in the rear-view mirror now apparently.

Thirdly – the health cost. We are bombarded with reports on childhood obesity, diabetes, portion control and just recently again there’s talk about the poor quality of school lunches. Yet we are forced to walk through the fruit and veg section of the local supermarket with literally, pallets full of sugary, high-fat Easter fare stacked high and in full view of our children, while we try to convince them that the slightly gnarly-looking, but much more nutritious piece of fruit sans packaging, is what they really need.

I vote we try putting apples, oranges, spuds and real eggs in pretty packaging next year and let’s see how the marketeers get on selling them to our children. Heck, they can start before Christmas if that helps. As it stands, putting sweet, dopamine-triggering, tasty chocolate in highly attractive, eye-catching packaging is the commercial equivalent of picking the proverbial low-hanging fruit.

Jim Leahy, Bandon.

Michael Collins a fitting name for Dublin Airport

EDITOR - Last autumn at a council meeting in Dublin an attempt was made to rename Dublin Airport and no agreement was reached.

I feel it should be named after the late General Michael Collins, one of the founders of the Irish Free State and the mastermind behind the struggle against the Crown Forces.   

He and his brave comrades, many of whom paid the ultimate price to win the freedom that we all enjoy, helped set State Institutions which we have to this day.

It was not perfect, it had many shortcomings,  but somehow survived as a modern Irish Free State.

General Michael Collins and his small band of comrades, men and women, inspired other countries to take up the struggle for freedom.

He is an international name and it is only right and fitting that our main international airport should bear his name and to be remembered by future generations to his come.

Jeremiah McCarthy,

Clonakilty.