Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB calls on Government to tackle education inequalities

Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (ETB) is calling on the Government to commit to tackling inequalities in the education sector by supporting the priorities laid out in the #SupportYourLocalETB campaign. 

Representatives from Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB met with members of the Oireachtas at a briefing event in Buswells Hotel, Dublin, last week where they expressed their concerns.

Mayo politicians in attendance included Minister Dara Calleary and Senator Lisa Chambers.

The event marked the official launch of the #SupportYourLocalETB campaign and was organised by Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), the representative body of 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) nationwide.  

_{Paddy Lavelle; Minister Dara Calleary and Cllr Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher (Photo: Marc O’Sullivan)}

The four priorities outlined in the #SupportYourLocalETB campaign that ETBI and its members are calling for government support on include:

• Increase the number and profile of Community National Schools nationwide;
• Increase in the Deputy Principal allocation in ETB post-primary schools with DEIS designation;
• Increase in funding for Further Education and Training (FET) so that funds reflect the proportion of learners, and ring-fence €600m in funding for the FET Colleges of the Future project, due to commence in 2028;
• Restore funding for youth work to pre-austerity levels and ensure pay parity for youth workers.

Launching the campaign at Buswells Hotel, last week, ETBI General Secretary Paddy Lavelle told invited TD's that they were ‘delighted’ to launch the #SupportYourLocalETB campaign and ‘political priorities for the coming year’. 

“We are calling on the Government to commit to supporting our work. TD's can also raise these issues at local and national levels of Government, and ensure these priorities are included in their party’s manifesto for the next General Election”, concluded Mr Lavelle.

For more information on ETBI and their priorities for the next year, see the ETBI website.