Education is a fundamental human right. The reduction of provision for education at all levels by the current and previous governments is an attack on that right.
Young children need a good start in education in order to benefit fully at further and higher levels. That is why I strongly support the demands of the Irish National Teachers Organisation.
Class size is a huge issue. The current shocking ratio of 27 pupils to 1 teacher is only an average. Many pupils are taught in cases above 27. The ratio must be reduced to 20 to 1 as quickly as possible but by no later than Sept 1, 2018
Cuts to funding of Disadvantaged (Deis Schools) must be restored
Capitation grants to primary and secondary schools, further education and Youthreach must be increased to restore funding and to relieve pressures on hard pressed parents for voluntary contributions.
The ban on filling of assistant principal posts has placed huge burdens of overwork on colleagues such as principals and classroom teachers. This ban must be removed.
The Restoration of dedicated Guidance Teacher posts, as is being sought by ASTI and TUI is generally necessary, but is particularly needed by students from educationally deprived back rounds.
Ruairi Quinn, Labour broke his promise to abolish college fees. This must now be done to give all our students a fair chance of achieving third level qualifications at degree and postgraduate level.
Our third level Institute here in Co Tipperary, LIT-Tiobrad Árann, is doing vital work and making a vital contribution to our culture and to our economy. But the funding of third level institutes has been slashed by 30% while student numbers have increased by 10%. These damaging cuts by the current and previous governments must be restored urgently.
In the most recent budget the Fine Gael-Labour government gave 125 million Euro in tax relief to the top 5% on an average 186,000 Euro per year each. These priorities must be reversed
Seamus Healy TD
22/02/2016
087 2802199
Change was in the air on Saturday last as 80,000 people took to the streets of Dublin demanding the abolition of the hated water tax.
Right 2 Water campaigners including Deputy Seamus Healy, from all over County Tipperary joined the pre-election demonstration organised by Right 2 Water, Right 2 Change.
The huge turnout on the last Saturday before the election sent a clear message to the outgoing government that public anger at water charges remains unabated and will be reflected in the ballot boxes on Friday.
But it was always clear that the hundreds of thousands who have taken to the streets of our towns and cities over the past eighteen months have not just been protesting against water charges.
Water charges have been the tipping point for many people – but they are just one manifestation of the austerity policies pursued by the outgoing Government and the previous Fianna Fail/Green coalition.
On Saturday we also heard from two homeless women who took to the stage with their children to tell the crowd what it’s like to be denied one of the most basic rights in a civilised society: a secure home in which to raise a family.
So far, 106 candidates including Deputy Seamus Healy have signed up to the Right2Change Policy Principles – the principles which would underpin a new progressive Government.
This coming Friday, February 26th, people in every constituency will have a chance to vote for one or more ‘Candidates4Change’. Another Ireland will become possible on polling day”,
Seamus Healy TD
22/02/2016
087 2802199
Deputy Seamus Healy has condemned Tánaiste Joan Burton for one of the meanest cuts yet.
Having insulted pensioners with a miserly €3 per week budget increase she now has instructed officers of the Department of Social Welfare to cut that €3 from sick pensioners who require a Special Diet.
Hard to believe – yes, Well I am attaching a copy of the cut notification received by a 90 year old pensioner (personal details are excluded).
This is one of the many cuts targeting pensioners such as abolition of telephone allowance, reduction in household benefits package, reduction in fuel allowance, increased prescription charges, abolition of the bereavement grant and the list goes on.
Deputy Healy has called on Labour Party Tánaiste Joan Burton T.D. to reverse this cut immediately.
Seamus Healy TD
087 2802199
Workers & Unemployed Action 