Stand up for Education

Posted on November 27, 2009 at 03:54 PM

Eamon and Ruairi
The Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD with Labour's Spokesperson on Education Ruairi Quinn TD.

Deputy Ruairi Quinn is our spokesperson on Education and today he posts about education expenditure.

"We need to raise the debate on the funding of education in Ireland above the current controversies over existing and proposed cuts. While these clearly are important in themselves, Labour believes that Ireland must see the bigger picture.

Ireland is currently spending 4.7% of GDP on education. The percentage has fallen since Charlie McCreevy became Finance Minister under Bertie Ahern in June 1997. The European/OECD average spend on Education is 5% plus of GDP.

Ireland, unlike nearly every other EU Member State, has a growing population. Last year's birth rate was the highest since 1896, according to the CSO.

I have called, on a number of occassions, and as recently as 22nd October, in Dáil Eireann, for a national consensus around a target of 7% expenditure on education to be achieved as soon as possible. Realistically, this could take up to three or four years. 2013, the centenary of the Great Lock Out, would be a fitting target for the Great Lock In to education investment!

I am delighted that 'Stand Up for Education' has responded to my remarks made to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on 22nd October.

Labour fully supports this campaign as the TUI and other groups are aware of this. They are all members of the Post Primary Education Forum which attended the Oireachtas Committee. A model of success which should be followed was the campaign to get Overseas Development Aid expendture up to the UN target of 0.7% of GDP.

Education is the key to Ireland's succesful future, now that the burst property bubble has revealed the bankruptcy of Fianna Fail / Developer economics. The Knowledge Society, and the Create Economy, which our country needs will be built on the solid foundations of sound investment in Education."

By Deputy Ruairi Quinn, Spokesperson on Education

Tagged with Education