Dunno what you mean by "evidence" (this is a discussion forum, not a court of law) but I would personally take the following two articles as evidence of a growing public dissatisfaction with Irish teachers as an occupational group. Its also worth noting that neither article provoked any discernable degree of public outrage or controversy.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/a...ity-of-our-teachers-not-quantity-1514577.html
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/teachers--be-honest-about-your-intentions-1517317.html
I'm not sure that I'd take Ed Walsh and Emer O'Kelly as being representative of general public opinion. I mean, it's Emer O'Kelly, writing in the Sunday Indo! - shurley shome misthake
Why doesn't Ed Walsh take the 10% cut himself as a first step, and then push through a 10% cut in UL before he comes to hit primary school kids? The absence of 'any discernable degree of public outrage or controversy' is meaningless. There wasn't 'any discernable degree of public outrage or controversy' about [broken link removed] either, but I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from that.
And in relation to the other article, it's Emer O'Kelly. 'nuff said.
I got this list of the 32 education cutbacks by email today, which may be of interest to some;
1. Reduce school building program
2. 200 fewer primary school teachers
3. 200 fewer secondary school teachers
4. Reduction in English language support teachers
5. Reduction in staffing levels for previous non DEIS schools
6. Abolition of sub teachers from Jan '09
7. Early retirement scheme for teachers to be suspended
8. Cookery grant abolished
9. Equipment grant for resource teachers abolished
10. Reduction in Traveller education budget
11. Grants for school choirs and orchestras abolished
12. Grants for home economics abolished
13. Grants for physics and chemistry abolished
14. reductions in Leaving Cert Applied, LCVP and transition year funding
15. Capital reduction for travelers and withdrawal of certain capital for schools that are not in DEIS programme
16. Saving of 7.5 million for school books in DEIS schools
17. Reduction in funding for local libraries who support school libraries
18. Subvention for summer courses conducted in Irish colleges in Gaeltacht areas withdrawn
19. Funding for Centre for Talented Youth withdrawn
20. College Registration Fees hiked to €1,500 from €900
21. Abolition of Early Childcare Centre
22. No increase in Student Maintenance Grants for '09
23. Reduction in provision of 500 places on BTEA initiative
24. Youth services grant reduced by 8%
25. Reduce teacher secondments to in-service training
26. Radical increase in school transport costs to €300
27. Increase State Examination costs
28. Reduction in Department's Regional Office Service
29. Non-implementation of Education of Persons of Special Education Needs Act
30. Deferral of planned increase in medical education places
31. Restrictions in awards made to research councils
32. Failure to spend NDP commitment on ICT funding in schools