The revelation by the Department of Education and Science that 1,670 primary school children in Mayo are in classes with over 30 pupils “highlights how little trust we can place in pre-election promises”, according to Labour Councillor Harry Barrett.
“When they were seeking the people’s support in this county prior to the last general election, Fianna Fáil promised to cut class sizes,” Cllr Barrett said. “Fianna Fáil candidates promised parents and teachers at a monster meeting in The Welcome Inn, Castlebar, that Fianna Fáil in government would reduce class sizes. But the direction of policy under the Fianna Fail/Green Government has been to deliberately increase class sizes.
“Batt O’Keeffe’s policy of cutback after cutback has caused the people to lose faith in this Government, as the findings of the recent opinion poll graphically demonstrate,” he added. “Fianna Fáil have not only wrecked the economy, they are wrecking our education system too.”
