Hundreds of people from across Cork have voiced their opposition to plans to increase class sizes. Last week the Minister for Education Batt O' Keeffe announced that his department would be increasing class sizes from next September, to help contain public sector pay while providing for demographic and other changes.

Teachers unions, local representatives and concerned parents have reacted angrily to the move and people in Cork have now voiced their opposition to the plans by signing a petition urging the Taoiseach, the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Education to reverse the decision to increase class sizes in primary education in Ireland.

The online petition, which was set-up by local Fine Gael representatives Cllr Laura McGonigle, Dave O' Byrne and Emmet O' Halloran, went live on Tuesday evening and by lunchtime on Wednesday (October 22) more than 820 people had signed the petition.

Cllr Laura McGonigle said that she was not surprised by the huge response to the petition as she said many people are very angry with the cuts. She highlighted how three schools in her own constituency lost teachers this year and said that these new cuts would mean that pupils will be in even bigger classes next September. "People are very worried about this, as are the teachers and the new graduates from Mary Immaculate," she said.

The Fine Gael representatives plan on presenting the petition to the Minister next week. To sign the petition log on to www.petitiononline.com/class08/petition.html.

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