Government Win Dáil Vote

The Government has this afternoon won a crucial vote - defeating Labour's motion condemning education cuts - and even increased its majority.

The resounding vote of confidence in the otherwise beleagured Government came in spite of protests over the proposed educational cuts.

Teachers have already been on the streets in advance of today's Dáil debate and vote on the Government's controversial education cuts.

Thousands of teachers were joined by parents in Dublin last night to have their views heard before today's crucial vote on a Labour Party motion calling for the cuts to be reversed.

However, it was a vote the Government won comfortably, with the support of its coalition partners, the Greens.

The Government tabled an amendment to the Labour motion noting the necessity to stabilise the public finances through "difficult expenditure decisions" to ensure that public services, including education, can be sustained and improved in the long run.

The dispute was about increased class sizes and the impact on education following the recent Budget cost-cutting measures.

However, the Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe last night accused the Opposition of whipping up "hysteria" and said they were being dishonest with the Irish people.

"Much drama and quite frankly, hysteria, has been whipped up about protecting our children's future and the impact, in particular, of increases in class size," he said.

(BMcC)