13th June 2024
The INTO’s pre-budget submission was formally launched at our annual national lobby day in Dublin on Wednesday 12 June. INTO activists from every Dáil constituency met their elected representatives to seek political support for INTO’s campaign to make primary education a high priority for government on budget day. Nearly 90 TDs and Senators attended the launch.
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The submission advocates for three strategic objectives that aim to address significant challenges in primary and special education.
#1 – Invest in smaller class sizes
The INTO is advocating for a two-point reduction of average class sizes in all primary schools in the forthcoming budget.
#2 Strengthen school leadership
The INTO is calling for the full reinstatement of the 1,700 assistant principal roles that have been unavailable to primary and special schools since the austerity period.
#3 – Increase school funding
The INTO is urging a 20% increase in two of the core grants paid annually to primary and special schools, the capitation and minor works grants together with a substantial increase to the ancillary services grant.
These three initiatives come at a critical juncture, as we navigate through a cost of living and housing crisis, face a drain of our talented teachers to overseas destinations and grapple with worrying recruitment and retention challenges within our educational system. The frustrations are palpable among educators, struggling to deliver the curriculum in the EU’s largest class sizes. The inadequate supports and lack of leadership opportunities which are essential for nurturing a rewarding lifelong career in education are key contributory factors to Ireland’s acute teacher shortages.
Our detailed proposal requests a modest yet significant increase in funding of primary education by €87.5 million annually. This investment is not just a fiscal measure but would pave a meaningful step towards securing the future of our nation’s primary education system. All members of the INTO and of their wider school communities are encouraged to support this critical campaign to make primary education a high priority for government in budget 2025.