Mathews calls on Minister to revisit Government Policy on Fee Charging Schools

Dublin South Fine Gael TD Peter Mathews, today, Thursday raised the issue of Government Policy on Fee- Charging Schools with the Minister in a special Dáil debate. Deputy Mathews raised the concerns of many parents in the constituency on the recent decision to increase the pupil teacher ratio in selected schools which they believe are being singled out.

Mr Mathews stated, “The government is increasing the pupil teacher ratio from 20:1 from 23:1 starting from September 2013″. Referring to an independent report by PWC, Deputy Mathews outlined that there is a saving to the state for each student enrolled in a fee charging school. Without getting into specific, the key point is that the parents of students attending fee paying schools reduce the cost to the state and the rest of the tax paying population by contributing to the cost of educating their children.”

Deputy Mathews also outlined to the Minister that “55 schools in the fee paying sector employ approximately 600 additional teachers and other staff members across a range of areas. These jobs are sustained through the fees paid by parents across all these schools.”

Deputy Mathews called on the Minister to revisit these matters with a very acute mind and multidimensional understanding of the situation.” We should put a brake on this and revisit the fundamental fabric of what is going on here.”