Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has stated that teaching resources cannot be made exempt from budget cuts.

He told the Dail that as one-third of all public sector employees work in the education sector, they must participate in austerity measures, the Irish Times reports.

Mr Quinn was defending controversial moves to reduce the level of guidance counselling available in schools, which opponents have warned could lead to the loss up of to 1,000 such positions, or reduced subject choice as other educators are let go instead.

Education spokesman for Fianna Fail Brendan Smith introduced a private members' motion to have the reductions reconsidered.

A similar move last week by Sinn Fein calling for cuts to disadvantaged schools to be reversed was defeated, though Mr Quinn indicated he will review the policy.

Mr Smith said cuts to guidance counselling will lead to bigger classes, adding: "Likely casualties will also be foundation classes at Leaving Cert in subjects like maths and Irish."

He said the weakest students will be those who are most badly affected by the proposals.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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