8th October 2024
Schools say €9m phone pouch funding could be spent on ‘more biting’ issues – Irish Examiner
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) pointed to the failure of this budget to further reduce primary school class sizes for a second year in a row… It is an abject failure on the part of this government that it did not do so,” said INTO general secretary John Boyle. Every euro in the budget is “scarce” and should be used to maximum effect, he added. “The €9m spent on phone pouches could have funded 150 new teachers for the 75 most disadvantaged Deis schools, transforming lives through a much-needed Deis+ scheme.” Alternatively, it could have created 1,000 new assistant principal posts in primary and secondary schools, he added.
Minister defends Budget spending on phone storage scheme – RTÉ News
INTO General Secretary John Boyle said it appeared that the Government was prioritising the rollout of the ‘Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free’ programme over the more pressing needs of schools and their teachers and students. “Providing a higher allocation for mobile phone pouches than the increase in primary capitation is tone deaf to the pressing needs of primary and special schools. At a time when Ireland has the largest budget surplus in the history of the state, it beggars belief that initiatives like this have been prioritised over the real needs of our cash-strapped schools,” Mr Boyle said.
Teachers slam government for €9m spend on locking phones during school – The Journal
John Boyle, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, which represents primary school teachers, said it “beggars belief” that the allocating for storing phones was “prioritised over the real needs of our cash-strapped schools”.
Minister slaps down claims €9m ‘pet project’ phone pouch plan for all schools is bad call amid teacher crisis fury – Irish Sun
Irish National Teachers Organisation chief John Boyle said it “beggars belief” the phone ban was “prioritised over the real needs of our cash-strapped schools”.
Exodus of Young Teachers Will Not Stop – Irish Daily Mail
A young teacher has said that income tax changes will help young colleagues but the Budget will not stop them from moving abroad. David Donagh, 30, said that some teachers his age are forced to travel long distances every day because they cannot afford to live near where they work. (No link available)
Teacher and SNA roles confirmed in €1.3bn education pot – RTÉ News, EchoLive.ie
“Providing a higher allocation for mobile phone pouches than the increase in primary capitation is tone deaf to the pressing needs of primary and special schools. At a time when Ireland has the largest budget surplus in the history of the State, it beggars belief that initiatives like this have been prioritised over the real needs of our cash-strapped schools,” Mr Boyle said.
Failure to reduce class sizes in Budget 2025 ‘disappointing’ – EchoLive.ie
For the second year in a row, there has been no commitment in the budget to reduce primary school class sizes and this has been described as a missed opportunity by INTO vice-president Anne Horan. “The important thing that we were looking for was a reduction in class sizes and, for the second year in a row, the minister for education hasn’t provided it and she saw the value in it previously, but it hasn’t come through in Budget 25 or Budget 24 and that’s really disappointing,” said Ms Horan.
Free school-books scheme ‘doesn’t go far enough’ as we still have to pay anyway, says parent – Irish Independent
General secretary of teacher’s union INTO, John Boyle, said the Government had “failed to address the urgent needs of primary and special schools in Budget 25” .
Budget measures ‘not enough to stop young teachers from moving abroad’ – BreakingNews.ie, Kildare Nationalist, Tipperary Live, Waterford Live, Ireland Live
David Donagh, 30, said that income tax changes will help but will not stop young teachers from considering moving abroad to places like Dubai, where teachers’ incomes are not taxed and their rent is paid for. “If there was anybody that was on the fence that was thinking of maybe Dubai or Australia, they could be more inclined towards going rather than staying,” he said after Budget 2025. Mr Donagh, who is an intern with the INTO, added: “There were seven teachers I was talking to today after the Budget that were on the fence and I texted them all to ask is the Budget going to keep you in the country, and they’re all going after Christmas. “Five of them are resigning permanent jobs to go,” he said adding that they are aged 26 to 33.