Cuts in government spending are being announced quietly this evening – I’ve not counted them up yet but it’s more than the dozen – seven so far in social welfare alone- it’s been announced (not in a speech in the Dáil) that there are to be a number of changes to the entitlements to Jobseekers Benefit and Illness Benefit and Education entitlements and organisational arrangements including an increase in class sizes, and a removal of substitute teachers in certain situations.

* For new claimants of Jobseeker’s Benefit, 13 paid contributions in the relevant tax year or certain other periods will be required to qualify (also applies to recipients of Health & Safety Benefit) (January 2009).

* For new claimants of Jobseeker’s Benefit, the number of paid contributions needed to qualify will increase from 52 to 104 (also applies to recipients of Health & Safety Benefit) (January 2009).

* Jobseeker’s Benefit will now be paid for 12 months (previously 15 months) where 260 or more PRSI contributions are paid. This will apply to new claimants and those with an existing duration of less than 6 months on Jobseeker’s Benefit on Budget Day (14th October 2008).

* Jobseeker’s Benefit will be paid for up to 9 months (previously 12 months) where less than 260 contributions are paid. This will apply to new claimants and those with an existing duration of less than 3 months on Jobseeker’s Benefit on Budget Day (14th October 2008).
….

* Duration of the Illness Benefit scheme to be limited to 2 years for new claimants where 260 or more PRSI contributions are paid from January 2009.

* Number of paid contributions needed to qualify (for new claimants) will increase from 52 to 104
(January 2009).

* Earnings limit for graduated rates of payment to increase from €150 to €300 per week in the relevant tax year for new claimants
(January 2009).

And as for Batt O’Keefe – Grants in Education are cut for disadvantaged children, Travellers, class sizes are up.

The mechanism used to allocate classroom teachers to primary schools is the staffing schedule and, with effect from September 2009, the enrolment bands will be based on an average of 28 pupils per class rather than the current 27 pupils per class.

In the case of post-primary schools, the allocation basis will be altered by one point with effect from September 2009 from the current 18 to 1 basis to a revised basis of 19 to 1.

In the case of fee-charging post-primary schools, there will be an additional one-point adjustment.

The ceiling of two on the number of language support teachers per school is being re-imposed, with some alleviation for the position of those schools where there is a significant concentration of newcomer pupils as a proportion of the overall pupil enrolment.

Arrangements will also be made for the withdrawal of teacher posts which have been historically provided under previous disadvantage schemes to non-DEIS schools.

Teacher substitution arrangements: substitution cover will be suspended from January 2009 for absences arising from uncertified sick leave in all schools, as well as for school business absences in post-primary schools.

Early Retirement Scheme for Teachers: this pilot scheme is being suspended with immediate effect.

Abolition in 2009 of certain grants paid to schools

• In the case of primary schools:
• The separate cookery grant, resource grant for language support teachers and equipment grant for resource teachers are being abolished. The total value of these grants was €2m.
• A further €4.3m is being saved by the reduction in capitation funding for Travellers and withdrawal of certain capitation funding from schools that are not in the DEIS programme but had continued to receive top-up funding originally provided under previous disadvantage initiatives.

• In the case of post-primary schools:
  A number of separate grant payments to second-level schools are being abolished. These are grants for Choirs and Orchestras, Home Economics, Physics and Chemistry, Junior Certificate Schools Programme, Leaving Certificate Applied, LCVP and Transition Year. The total saving will be €5.35m.
• A further €2m is being saved by a reduction in capitation funding for Travellers and withdrawal of certain capitation funding from schools that are not in the DEIS programme but had continued to receive top-up funding originally provided under previous disadvantage initiatives.