School ethos under threat
Funding cut for St Finian's support services
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St Finian's Community College is proud of the fact that it has taken on more than its fair share of the burden in accommodating students with special needs, foreign students and minorities but says the money that allowed it to do that is being slowly taken away by the government.
School principal, Derek McGarrigle said he was 'living in hope' that the Minister for Education would row back on the cuts that is set to hit his school very hard.
The school is looking at losing up to two regular teachers and possible a further two language support teachers.
The cuts will increase some special needs classes in the school by 50%, according to the school principal who said the school would be forced to take 'a fierce step back from where we are' as a direct consequence of the cuts.
The schools funding for its Leaving Certificate Applied programme, additional programmes for Junior Certificate students and even its funding for traveller students are all being either wiped out or cut back significantly.
'Our big boast was always that we are absolutely inclusive and the only thing we had going for us was the extra teachers and funding that allowed us to be that - now they are slowly taking all that back,' Mr McGarrigle said.
The government decision to allow class sizes to grow allied to new restrictions on teacher substitutions are also set to cause a raft of problems at the Swords school.
The school principal said its ability to carry out school trips and sports will be seriously affected by the cuts and less popular subjects at the school could be forced to close down entirely.
The school is one of about 25 County Dublin VEC schools.
The organisation as a whole will see the loss of 44 teachers and some € 500,000 in grants in the wake of the Budget cuts.
- JOHN MANNING
