Changes still fail test for teacher Teresa

Primary school teacher Teresa Walsh is left "very disappointed" with the Budget.

As a 30-year-old single professional she said the Government actions cancelled out any benefits she received.

"The reduction in the top rate of tax from 41pc to 40pc and the changes in the universal service charge would have put an extra €8 a week into my pocket but that will be taken away by what I have to pay in water charges," she said.

"I'm no better off," she said.

Teresa works as a resource teacher helping special needs children in two Dublin schools - Saint Raphael's in Ballyfermot and Our Lady of the Wayside in Bluebell.

Disappointed

"I'm disappointed there was no reversal of past decisions to abolish payments for new positions of responsibility. I'm paying €10,000 to study for a master's degree in educational management and leadership. I will complete the degree and my schools and pupils will still benefit," she said.

She was also disappointed that the 15pc cut in the amount of hours allocated for resource teaching for special needs pupils was not reversed in the Budget.

Neither were there any improvements signalled in pupil teacher ratios despite Ireland having the second biggest class sizes in Europe.

aokeeffe@herald.ie