SDLP U Turn on Education Cuts

29 July, 2005

At a meeting of the Southern Education & Library Board Meeting Sinn Fein
Education Board Member Brendan Lewis proposed that the 2pm Bus Service be
immediately reinstated and this was seconded by Cllr Pat Mc Ginn. The SDLP
member Pat Branningan voted against the proposal while Karen Mc Kevitt SDLP
who had handed in a petition looking for an immediate reinstatement of the
bus service in her local school abstained.

Commenting upon this Brendan Lewis and Pat Mc Ginn said,

" It is now clear that the SDLP opposition to cuts was a pre-election stunt
and post elections they are back to supporting a status quo that is prepared
to facilitate cuts to school jobs and school services.

Sinn Fein will not be policing an inadequate budget set by the British
Government and the SDLP should be ashamed of themselves for supporting such
cuts especially children's bus services.

We have informed the SELB that we will not support any cuts and we are
demanding that the Government get real about education with a real budget to
support education and learning".