asked the Minister for Education the representations that have been made to her by teacher and parent organisations in relation to cutbacks in educational services announced by her since taking office; and if she will review her decision in the light of their representations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Educational Services Cutbacks.
17.
Representations have been made to me by the main teacher and parent organisations relating to the decisions taken by the Government in connection with the financial provision made for education in the Estimates for the Public Service for 1983.
I have held a series of meetings with representatives of those bodies to discuss and clarify the decisions. I have explained to them why it is necessary, in view of the difficult financial situation, to proceed with the implementation of such decisions.
On what basis did the Minister decide that schools with 500 pupils could have a guidance counsellor and schools with, for instance, 440 pupils are not entitled to a guidance counsellor?
That seems to be another question.
I would like to differ. We have asked if the Minister would review her decision regarding the cutbacks. That is one of the cutbacks.
It is a general question.
I consider that the Minister is being very ignorant in relation to the question of cutbacks and that she is not giving the House the attention and responses to which we are entitled.
The Chair indicated that he thought it was a separate and specific question whereas the question put down was a general question.
In Question No. 17 I was asked the representations that had been made to me. If the Deputy would like, I will give him the list of organisations I have met. They are the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, Irish Vocational Education Association, Teachers' Union of Ireland, Joint Managerial Body for Second Level Schools, Catholic Primary Schools Managers' Association, Union of Students in Ireland, Irish Federation of University Teachers, Council for Parents' Elected Representatives on Primary Schools Boards of Management and Church of Ireland Secondary Education Committee. These are all groups who have been in to see me, whom I would have been meeting anyway. I understood that was to be the answer to the question of what representations were made to me.
We also asked the Minister to indicate if she will review her decision in the light of their representations. Has the Minister decided to change her mind and reverse her decision on the cutbacks?
I already said in my answer to the question asked that I explained to them why it is necessary, in view of the difficult financial situation, to proceed with the implementation of such decisions.
Is it not true that these organisations have rejected the Minister's reasoning and rejected the cutbacks?
The question has been answered. Question No. 18.