The cuts proposed in the recent report by An Bord Snip will have a disproportionate impact on youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds, it has been claimed.

According to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), increasing school transport charges and cutting back on special needs teachers will have a huge affect on poorer students.

Cuts which have been introduced recently, such as the abolition of the school book grant, are already being felt by many families, the Irish Independent reports.

"A major shortcoming of the McCarthy report is its failure to assess the relative costs and benefits attached to educational expenditure," the ESRI stated.

Meanwhile, the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland have warned that they may consider industrial action if any further cuts are introduced, with both bodies suggesting that their members will not tolerate any more reductions in education spending, the Times reports.

Written by Donal Walsh

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