Today’s revelations that private fee-paying schools will be allowed to apply for a slice of the €9 million budget allocation to purchase mobile phone pouches have added new levels of farce to the controversy, according to Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon.
Deputy Gannon, who is the party’s spokesperson on education, said:
“Spending €9 million in this manner at a time when many schools are facing a financial crisis is completely tone deaf to the real needs of principals, teachers, parents and pupils around the country.
“This scandalous waste of money – when schools are struggling to pay their bills and services for children with disabilities are virtually non-existent – shows this Government is totally out of touch.
“The fact that private fee-paying schools will also be eligible to apply for funding under this scheme has now added new levels of farce to this bizarre initiative.
“Given recent controversies over ridiculously expensive bike sheds, security huts and modular homes – not to mention the bottomless money pit that is the National Children’s Hospital – there is zero public appetite for any further waste of taxpayers’ cash.
“But despite growing calls for a reversal of this decision, the Minister for Education has stubbornly refused to admit she was wrong. She urgently needs to reassess her priorities – and scrap this scheme.”
October 4, 2024