TUI criticism of allowances freeze also covered in Irish Daily Mail and The Star 2/2/12

Suspension of allowances criticised - Irish Times 2/2/12
The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) condemned the decision as an outrageous betrayal of trust by the Government.

Speaking this evening, TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann said: "We unreservedly condemn this outrageous unilateral action which completely flies in the face of and shows contempt for agreed industrial relations procedures.

"This will have savage consequences for teachers, particularly those at the point of entry to the profession. The net result will see new teachers entering the profession earning up to 30 pe cent less than what they earned two years ago."

"What we are seeing here is the unremitting destruction of teaching as a profession. This will have enormous consequences in terms of who will be attracted to the profession."

"The bitter irony is that the Department of Education and the Teaching Council are looking to expand the training period for teachers to a minimum of six years following which the vast majority will struggle to secure any teaching hours on temporary contracts."

"In the context of the Croke Park Agreement that the union has in good faith engaged with, this is cynical betrayal of trust. The union demands the immediate reversal of this underhand decision which constitutes another direct attack on frontline services."
 

Education gains 'can be kept with small pay cuts' – Irish Independent 2/2/12
A post-primary principals' leader says that it would be better to cut teachers' pay than to reduce staffing in schools in order to save money.
Clive Byrne, director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) said a small cut in salary would be enough to sustain the gains made in the education system over the last 15 years.
John MacGabhann, general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland said new teachers and those not on full hours had been particularly badly hit by a litany of cuts.
"We expect agreements that we have entered into in good faith to be honoured on all sides and we also expect that any matters related to salary will be addressed in the proper... settings," he said.

TUI President Bernie Ruane discusses funding for schools on TV3's Midweek programme with journalist Fiona Looney and principal of Belvedere College Gerry Foley. TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann also interviewed 1/2/12

Interview with TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann regarding cut to allowances on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland. 1/2/12  Click here to listen.  

Unions demand return of teacher allowances - RTE 1/2/12

TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan interviewed on Newstalk 106's Lunchtime programme on the effects of the spike in retirements at the end of February.

Annette Dolan also interviewed on allowance cuts on Phantom FM 1/2/12.

New public servants not eligible for extra payments - Irish Examiner 1/1/12
Education is likely to be hit hardest as most of the 1,000-plus teachers leaving schools this month can be replaced.

However, allowances for new principals and deputy principals will continue to be paid, and teachers who have already been paid by the department will still be eligible for a qualifications allowance, until after the review at least.

But the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said the loss of allowances will see new teachers earning almost 30% less than those who entered the profession two years ago. The TUI general secretary, John MacGabhann, said it was ironic when the training period for second-level teaching is being extended and most new teachers will struggle to get work.

TUI member and Principal and Deputy Principals Association (PDA) president Mick Daly interviewed as part of Irish Times feature 31/1/12 on the reflections of teachers due to retire at the end of February.


Students 'will not be hit by exodus of teachers' - Irish Independent 24/1/12

Brenda Power’s assertion that the State saves €3,500 per head annually on the education of students in private, fee-paying schools (Sunday Times 8/1/12) is simply wrong.
The State currently provides just under 24 teachers to a fee-paying school of 500 students and just over 26 teachers to its non-fee-paying equivalent – a difference of 2.5 teachers.
Annual capitation and support grants provided by the State to non-fee paying schools (but not provided to fee-paying schools) amount to some €900 per student. Therefore, a non-fee paying school of 500 students gets €450,000 annually in state grants.
Meanwhile, a 500 student fee-paying school which charges €5,000 per year in tuition fees attracts €2.5m annually in fee income; over and above the subvention paid to it by the State in the form of the allocation of 24 teachers.
If the fee paying school were to (match the non-fee-paying school and) allocate €450,000 of its fee income to running costs it would have in excess of €2m left over with which it could comfortably reimburse the State for the full cost of its allocation of 24 teachers. Having done this, the fee-paying school would still have a kitty of €600,000 or so. This could, if it so wished, be used to engage 10 additional teachers, bringing its complement of teachers to 34, some 8 more than the non-fee paying school. In short, there is no reasonable basis for Ms Power’s contention that such a school would close or would choose to abandon its fee-paying, privileged status.
Were fee-paying schools to reimburse the State for their teacher allocation, an additional €100m per year would be available to the State to ameliorate or reverse some of the deep and damaging education cuts of recent years, cuts that have disproportionately affected disadvantaged and marginalised children, families and communities.
That said, we do recognise the particular difficulty facing minority faith fee-paying schools which serve a geographically dispersed student cohort and may therefore need to maintain a boarding facility. Such schools may depend on State funding to survive. Such exceptions apart, the State’s continuing subsidisation of fee-paying schools is both unnecessary and unconscionable.
John MacGabhann
General Secretary
Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI)
73 Orwell Rd
Rathgar
Dublin 6




Pressure for teaching posts may begin to ease – Sunday Business Post 15/1/12
“Cutbacks and reduced resources have been the focus of late, leading to much gloom. There are some positives, however. Population expansion in the coming years, already visible at primary level but soon to be visible at second level, is certain to create demand for teachers,” said Bernie Judge, education officer with the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI). Judge said that studying part-time was an increasingly popular option in an economic environment where fees were up and grant assistance wasn’t as readily available. Whatever the mode of study, students should select subjects according to interest and aptitude, she added.
“Graduates need to have a level of certainty about the subjects they have taken on or want to pursue. For second level, I would say it’s important to have at least two,” she said. 

Quinn admits mistake in plan to cuts school staff - Irish Examiner 14/1/12
Teachers Union of Ireland general secretary John MacGabhann said: "If, as is suggested, money has to be found elsewhere within the education budget, it cannot be at the expense of those non-DEIS, non-fee paying schools already targeted for swingeing cuts on numerous occasions in recent years and now struggling to provide a basic frontline service to students."

However, some of the jobs arising will be short-lived because of changes to the pupil-teacher ratio in September.

Of the 1,600 teachers who have signed up to retire early, 799 are in second-level schools and will be replaced up to June. However, Budget cuts will strip second-level schools of 700 teaching posts in September.

Teachers' Union of Ireland general secretary John MacGabhann said that the Budget changes would rob new teachers of the opportunity to gain employment.

Letter published in Sunday Times 22/1/12
 

Responding to Minister Quinn's comments that money to reverse some cutbacks will have to be taken from other areas of the education budget, the Teachers' Union of Ireland has said that schools in the public system must be protected if they are to provide an adequate service to students - RTE 1 Radio news bulletins 13/1/12


TUI statement sent to Newstalk's Breakfast programme regarding Professor Ed Walsh's interview 11/1/12

Based on his various assertions and generalisations in yesterday’s interview, The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) believes that Professor Ed Walsh is completely out of touch with the realities of education and teaching in 2012.

Hundreds of teachers have lost their jobs as a result of cutbacks in recent years. Very many teachers are part-time hours and/or temporary contracts – like thousands of others, they struggle to meet financial commitments. Perversely, a freeze on increments – apart from being a breach of the Croke Park agreement - would hit younger, lower paid teachers the hardest.

Professor Walsh stated that Irish teachers have the shortest school year in the EU. However, the latest OECD figures clearly show that he is simply wrong. The number of teaching hours of second level teachers in Ireland (735) is over 8% higher than the OECD average of 679 and 3% higher than the 714 hour figure for England.

Teachers are subject to ever more rigorous accountability mechanisms at a time when the administrative burden in the job has soared. Independent research by Behaviour and Attitudes two years ago shows that Irish second level teachers work an average of 47 hours per week. They don’t expect particular praise or credit for this but neither do they deserve the bilious and inaccurate vilification so regularly and complacently peddled by self-styled commentators such as Professor Walsh. 

 

Parents 'penalised' for choosing fee-paying schools – Irish Times 4/1/12
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland has welcomed the inquiry into what it termed “this huge subvention of privilege”.
John MacGabhann, TUI general secretary, said: “Now more than ever, it is unacceptable that the State should sponsor privilege. We anticipate that any fair report to the Minister will surely find it completely unconscionable that large numbers of these schools continue to enjoy the unfair benefits of a double-funding mechanism.”
On RTÉ’s News at One yesterday, Mr Whyte stressed how private schools do not receive capitation and other supports available to their counterparts in the State sector. Private schools, he said, must pay for their own maintenance, refurbishments, heating, light and other costs.
Mr MacGabhann said each pupil in a State school generated capitation payments of only about €900 a year. With fees averaging about €5,000 a year, private schools still enjoyed huge discretionary income – even after all costs have been paid. In his view, private schools could afford to pay their own teachers and still retain some profit.
The audit is designed to distinguish between private schools which have significant discretionary income and those – like many Protestant boarding schools – that are struggling to survive.
Mr MacGabhann said he would draw a distinction between the bulk of fee-paying schools and those minority-faith schools which often depend on State funding to survive. “Clearly, these must continue to be appropriately supported.” (Click link above for full article) 

TUI position on investigation also covered in Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Daily Mail 4/1/12

Excerpt from John MacGabhann interview played on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime programme 3/1/12 

TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann interviewed on RTE Radio 1's News At One in relation to TUI's welcome of the announcement of an audit of the finances of fee paying schools 3/1/2012 

Not all fee-paying schools are created equal - Irish Times, 3/1/12   
The decision to target fee-paying schools reflects anger – especially among the Labour grassroots and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, whose members mostly teach in the vocational and comprehensive/community schools.

They see private schools as elitist and resent how the State supports them with up to €100 million annually, most of it used to pay teacher salaries.

Earlier this year, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn rejected the union’s call for for the abolition of State support for fee-paying schools. Union president Bernie Ruane said these schools had been repeatedly shown to be bottom of the table when it came to inclusivity, especially with regard to embracing students with special needs.

She challenged Quinn to address what she described as “educational apartheid”.

Parents, she said, had to collect supermarket tokens to buy computers for public schools while the State-funded “privileged schools can afford to build swimming pools and golf courses”.

Ireland is one of the few countries where the State pays the salaries of teachers in private schools. The schools in question can then use the fee income to boost their range of services and facilities.  (Click link above to read full article)

Quinn sets up audit into how private schools spend€120m fees – Irish Times front page 3/1/12
MINISTER FOR Education Ruairí Quinn has asked his officials to investigate how fee-paying schools spend the €120 million they receive from parents. The investigation – due to begin soon – will also examine State investment in these schools, including funding for teachers.
Concerns have been raised by some Labour members and by the Teachers Union of Ireland that some of the bigger private schools have significant financial resources even though they continue to be supported by the State.



TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann interviewed on RTE's Six and Nine television news bulletins on potential impact of proposed reform to college entry system - 23/12/11



Overhaul will benefit students, says union - Irish Examiner 23/12/11
Proposed reforms of the college entry system should bring major benefits for second level students, the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) has claimed. (click link above for full article) 


Education overhaul proposed by Quinn - Irish Daily Mail 23/12/11 (extract)

The Education Minister has backeda radical shake-up of the Leaving Cert and college entry system. John MacGabhann of the Teachers' Union of Ireland said: "A move to a broader based system of grading for Leaving Certificate should relieve some of the pressures that many students and parents around the country feel in putting themselves at the mercy of the grinds school industry. If implemented correctly, it could help counter criticism of elements of the examination’s integrity

Schools are being pared to the bone – Irish Daily Mail 19/12/11
Parent contributions to cover school trips and sports are being used to pay for bare essentials because of education cuts. And now Ruairi Quinn’s budgetary decision to cut the capitation grants that support pupils will have a devastating effect on our children’s education, the boards of management body has revealed.
Ferdia Kelly, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Board, which represents 400 secondary schools groups, said parents and support organisations now contribute an astonishing 3 out of every 10 euros to keep a school running.
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin said: “Any cut in capitation funding clearly mitigates against those schools that do not enjoy the luxury of location in communities in which independent fundraising is always a viable option.”


Subject choices ‘hit by third-level funding crisis’ - Irish Examiner 16/12/11
Reduced subject choices within degrees, restricted library openings and cuts to student health services are among the impacts of the funding crisis in third-level education, college presidents have warned.
Their views are outlined in a report by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) study on future funding, submitted to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn in mid-November and published yesterday.
One option presented by the HEA is a limit on college intake to prevent further reductions in quality but the Teachers’ Union of Ireland said curbing numbers would make no economic sense.
“Any imposition of quotas would severely damage equity of access to higher education while directly benefiting those students from higher socio-economic backgrounds who use grind school businesses to finesse knowledge and skills already attained in mainstream second level schools,” said TUI general secretary designate John MacGabhann.


Ireland at joint top of EU third-level attainment league – Irish Times 15/12/11
IRELAND IS ranked joint first in the EU for third-level attainment among those aged 25-34, according to the latest survey from the Central Statistics Office.
In Ireland, 48 per cent of this group have a third-level qualification, compared to an EU average of just 33 per cent.
Curiously, Irish nationals aged 15-64 are less likely to have a third-level qualification than other EU nationals resident in Ireland.
About one-in-three Irish nationals aged 15-64 had attained a third-level qualification (32 per cent) but the figure for British and other nationals living here averages over 50 per cent.
The Central Statistics Office also found 9 per cent of those between 18-24 in Ireland left school after the Junior Cert. Unemployment among this group is much higher when compared to those who completed the Leaving Cert and/or third level.
Last night TUI president Bernie Ruane said: “These findings illustrate starkly just how important it is for all students to stay on in school after the Junior Certificate . . . it is short-sighted in the extreme that alternative programmes such as the Leaving Certificate Applied have been specifically targeted by swingeing cutbacks, despite their proven record in retaining students”.

Teacher union welcomes report – Irish Examiner 15/12/11
A report highlighting the effects of education cutbacks on the most disadvantaged students has been welcomed by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) paper on second level policy said changes to schools’ staffing for guidance could have a greater impact on students from less advantaged backgrounds who rely more on advice at school on college and other decisions about options.
 

Quinn sorry over U-turn but outraged teachers say he’s hacking at bare bones – Irish Daily Mail 6/12/11 (extract)
…..Although an increase in the pupil teacher ratio across all schools – which had been rumoured – was not implemented, teachers are extremely concerned about the cuts to guidance counsellors. The TUI described this as ‘catastrophic’, claiming subject choice will be reduced and the drop-out level could rise.
General Secretary Peter MacMenamin said: “The most likely scenario will see schools offering a stripped down guidance service from the general teaching provision while simultaneously cutting back on subject choice. As we have warned time and time again, subjects such as Honours Maths, Physics and Chemistry are the most likely to be culled as a result of any narrowing of options.”
He said: “Schools are already struggling to offer a skeletal education service from which flesh has long since been hacked away. Now the Department is attacking the bare bones.”
 

Quinn defends broken pledge not to introduce fees – Irish Examiner 6/12/11
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland said the cuts would further reduce services available to students, while the Irish Federation of University Teachers said the cuts contradict IMF policy that investment in higher education helped to promote future recovery in countries in economic difficulty.




RTE television news bulletins – Monday 5th December 2011
Speaking on the removal of the ex- quota guidance provision for schools on RTE1’s Six and Nine news bulletins which will see the removal of around 700 posts from second level schools, TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin said: “This is a devastating cut. We heard the Taoiseach say last night that there is a need to protect the most marginalised and disadvantaged in society and we aspire to that as well, but unfortunately this is actually going to directly affect the most marginalised and disadvantaged.”


Guidance cuts will see bigger classes and more drop outs – Evening Echo 6/12/11
The TUI described the effects of the cut in teacher numbers as ‘catastrophic’ for the life chances of the most vulnerable. Subject choice will be badly hit and student drop-out could also rise as a result of the cuts, the union stated.
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin said: “The most likely scenario will see schools offering a stripped down guidance service from the general teaching provision while simultaneously cutting back on subject choice.”
“In the absence of the filling of year head posts, guidance counsellors are already struggling to offer the required support and care to the most at risk students all over the country. This further cut will have a devastating impact on the life chances most vulnerable young people in schools. Vital guidance offered on career options and choices will also be greatly stripped back at a time when it has never been more important. Despite this retrogressive measure, Department has stated that schools continue to have a statutory obligation in relation to the provision of guidance. “
“Student choice will suffer and there is a real risk that student drop-out will rise.”


It’s pupils who’ll suffer – School heads warn subjects will be hit by ratio changes – Irish Daily Mail 3/12/11

Some 95% of all secondary school principals say that subject choice will suffer if the pupil-teacher ratio is increased in next week’s Budget. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland has said that raising class size in secondary schools will have ‘severe repercussions’. The majority of school heads warned that subject choice would be restricted at second level if the plan went ahead.
Up to 2,000 teaching posts could be axed if the numbers increase by just one from 19 to 20 at second level and from 27 to 28 in primary schools.
Peter MacMenamin, TUI General Secretary, said: ‘Subjects such as Honours Maths, Physics and Chemistry could come under most threat, while the survival of programmes as diverse as Transition Year, the Leaving Certificate Vocational and Leaving Certificate Applied would also be called into question in many schools.
An increase in the pupil teacher ratio does not only mean more students in a classroom. It means less teachers in a school and the breadth and depth of the educational experience of students would be greatly diminished in any new attack on the sector.’
A TUI survey of principals found that 90% believe a further increase in the pupil teacher ratio could reduce subject choice at Junior Cert level.
Bernie Ruane, TUI President, said a school with 500 pupils could lose two teachers if an increase of one is announced by the Government.
‘At second level you get an allocation of teachers – not one teacher per room,’ she added. ‘So it does not mean an extra student in a classroom; it means a loss of a teacher. Subjects in many schools would have to be dropped if a teacher is lost, meaning that schools might not be able to offer students [some subjects].’
And she revealed that many schools would only be able to give students the option of one science subject and Leaving Cert level. Principals are saying that there is no way they will be able to implement the new Junior Certificate reforms if there is an increase in the pupil-teacher ratio. It is going to be disastrous for education and it will be disastrous for the economy. Multinationals are screaming out for more maths and science graduates and if we cannot offer these subjects at second level there is no way that there will be people to go onto study these at third level. It’s being whittled away bit by bit until there’s no flesh on the bones and now they are hacking into bones at this stage.’
 

Guidance service cuts criticised - Irish Times 2/12/11
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland also warned that the most vulnerable students would suffer as a result of any cut to guidance service provision.

"Any curtailment of the service will inevitably have a most adverse effect on those at risk students in schools who benefit most from the support framework offered," TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said.

More than 700 second-level schools in the State are allocated guidance counsellors under a quota system.

Under a Department of Education proposal, no specific allocation should be made for guidance counsellors.

The proposal will cut the number of guidance hours available to students in schools as well as force some teachers back into the classroom as subject teachers.

The move is highly controversial, given the high rate of suicide – especially among young males – and the increasing need among second-level pupils for guidance and counselling services.

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has signalled in recent days he had no alternative but to proceed with the move as he sought a 4 per cent cut in the €9 billion education budget.

200 teachers at risk as classes get bigger - Evening Herald 1/12/11 (extract)

But the Teachers’ Union of Ireland warned today that the increasing pupil-teacher ratio will result in the loss of 200 jobs in second level schools in Dublin. The ratio currently stands at 19 students per classroom – one of the highest in Europe.
TUI president Bernie Ruane told the Herald: ”Put simply, it would mean a drastic cut in the number of teachers in schools. In Dublin alone, it could result in a loss the equivalent of around 200 full-time teachers at second level. “
“In a small school, this would result in the loss of one teacher or 33 class periods per week. A larger school could lose two teachers and 66 class periods per week. School principals would be left with some drastic decisions as to how best to utilise the reduced teaching provision available. The inevitability is that subject choice would be reduced in many schools.” 

 

Teachers say literacy training inadequate - Irish Examiner 1/12/11
More than one in three second-level English teachers feel inadequately trained to help tackle the poor literacy level of some students. Low levels of ongoing training also emerge from a survey of 474 teachers of third-year students at 134 schools where 15 year olds had their reading and comprehension skills tested as part of a global study in 2009.
Teachers’ Union of Ireland education and research officer Bernie Judge said very significant cuts to the support service for teachers have reduced opportunities for effective and ongoing CPD. She said a requirement in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy that all teachers take more responsibility for literacy development requires significant CPD support but that damaging poor practices will emerge and be escalated by continued cuts to education, including curtailment of training programmes.


90% in fear of pupil rise - Irish Daily Mirror 1/12/11
A survey of principals and deputy principals has revealed 90% fear an increase in the pupil-teacher ratio would seriously limit subject choice for students. The survey - carried out by the Teachers' Union of Ireland - shows such a move would have serious reprecussions for both Junior Cert and Leaving Cert pupils. TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin said: "An increase in the ratio means less teachers in a school and the depth of the educational experience of students would be greatly diminshed.

School funding can't be topped up by parents - Irish Examiner 29/11/11 
Coverage of Post Primary Education Forum press conference organised by parent groups, school management bodies, TUI and ASTI.

Education cuts 'will push schools to breaking point' - breakingnews.ie 28/11/11

Meanwhile, a survey for the Teachers' Union of Ireland shows that almost 75% of adults believe there should be little or no cuts to education in the budget - Irish Examiner 25/11/11

Scully should quit local councils following outburst - Irish Times 25/11/11
The Teachers' Union of Ireland found 45 per cent of their members had heard or witnessed racist comments in the month before their conference in 2010.

Ringfence education says the TUI - The Star 25/11/11
The Teachers' Union of Ireland has claimed the public is against education cuts. It said yesterday that a survey it commissioned found that 'just four per cent believe education should not be insulated from cutbacks.'
A spokesman added: 'It shows that more than three out of four people believe that there should be little or no cutback in educatoin in December's Budget. The results also show taht a majority wish to see State subsidy to fee-paying schools eliminated,' the spokesman claimed.

TUI representatives have commented on the consequences of a further increase in the pupil teacher ratio in a range of local titles including: Cork Independent, Dundalk Democrat, Waterford News & Star, New Ross Echo, Enniscorthy Echo, Wexford Echo, Gorey Echo, East Cork Journal, Galway Independent, Connacht Tribune, Galway City Tribune, Clare Champion, Westmeath Independent, Offaly Independent, Roscommon Herald, Tipperary Star, Meath Chronicle, Westmeath Examiner, Kerry’s Eye.

INTO orders members to shun intern jobs scheme - Irish Independent 22/11/11
The INTO's move follows that of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) which recently issued a directive for its members not to cooperate.


Fee paying schools face rise in pupil teacher ratio in Budget  - Irish Times 19/11/11
The Government is to target fee-paying schools in the forthcoming buget, with changes to the pupil teacher ratio that will result in much larger class sizes next year....The move comes amid continuing controversy around the €100m State subsidy paid to 56 private schools...The minister has been under pressure from Labour grassroots and the Teachers' Union of Ireland to end support for private education.   

Will our fee paying parents be squeezed until the pips squeak? - Irish Independent 16/11/11
Article in Irish Independent Education section examining State subvention to fee-paying schools. TUI's John MacGabhann extensively quoted. Independent TD Finian McGrath's raising of the issue in the Dail also mentioned.


Schools claw back €2.25m in tax breaks - Irish Daily Mail 16/11/11
The Teachers' Union of Ireland said affluent schools are benefiting at the expense of schools in more disadvantaged areas.



Wealthier schools benefit from tax breaks - Six One News, RTE 1 15/11/11
The State spent €2.25m last year on a scheme that favours the country's wealthier schools, according to data released to RTÉ by the Revenue Commissioners.
"The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) says that affluent schools are benefiting at the expense of all taxpayers." 

A new leaf: All you need to know about the new Junior Cert - Irish Times 15/11/11 (extract below)
Interestingly, many union reps are still referring to it as the 'proposed new system', rather than the new system. Teaching unions have been involved in consulation around this reform, and are represented on the NCCA.
However, both TUI and ASTI have red-line issues that could hamper progress. For the TUI, most of whose members work in State schools, the problem is resourcing. They say that with pupil-teacher ratios on the rise there are fewer teachers in schools to implement and manage the new system.


Quinn to spend €2bn on building schools...but he warns there'll be no more money for repairs - Irish Daily Mail 11/11/11
 

Annette Dolan, deputy general secretary of the TUI, said: 'It will put a strain on schools which were trying to manage in older buildings and need to be updated. It would have been one of the things which would have kept schools ticking over. All new schools are going to be in areas of population growth. But schools in mature areas are obviously older and there is no other way to update the building than through the Summer Works Scheme. Some of them should have been replaced some time ago but they have been kept going through the scheme." 

TUI General Secretary Designate John MacGabhann debates the continued €100m annual subvention of fee paying schools with presenters Ivan Yates and Ian Guider and Gerry Foley, principal of Belvedere College on Newstalk's Breakfast programme 10/11/11

No decision on cutting student numbers - Irish Times 10/11/11

Independent TD Finian McGrath said the Dáil’s Technical Group had discussed the issue with the Teachers’ Union of Ireland on Tuesday.
He asked why Mr Kenny was targeting the less well-off schools by comparisons with the more advantaged ones.
“For example, over €100 million is being spent on private schools,” Mr McGrath added.
“Is it because the mindset of the Cabinet is informed by the fact that 40 per cent of its members went to private schools?”
Mr McGrath said a recent Irish National Teachers’ Organisation survey of principals in disadvantaged schools showed 20 schools experienced losses of 59 teachers.
In 10 of the schools, 16 teachers were taken specifically from children with special needs.
He added 22 teachers had been taken from Traveller children in 18 schools and 74 per cent of principals reported increased challenges for such children.
Referring to Mr McGrath’s remark about Ministers attending private schools, Mr Kenny said he had been happy to cycle to school many years ago, adding he understood there were 56 fee-paying schools, 25 of which were Protestant. “I am quite sure Deputy McGrath does not intend to attack those,” he added.
Mr Kenny said the Government had no intention whatsoever of applying its focus to the detriment of those in disadvantaged schools.

'The €84m question' - Irish Daily Mail 8/11/11
Almost 84million is sitting in Department of Education coffers as school buildings crumble and thousands of pupils have to sit in draughty prefabs. 
A spokesman for the TUI last night said it was unacceptable for this minister to be repeating the same mistakes of the last.  

TUI opposition to PTR increase also covered in Irish Daily Mail, Daily Star and Irish Mirror 7/11/11

Metro North will not get go-ahead - Irish Times 7/11/11


Annette Dolan interviewed on RTE radio news, TG4 television, Today FM, Newstalk and various local stations on negative effects of increase in pupil teacher ratio – 6/11/11

‘Up to 2,000 teachers face axe in €2.2bn cuts’ - Sunday Times 6/11/11
Annette Dolan, the deputy general secretary of the TUI, said the proposals were almost double those being considered by the Department of Education in August. “This is very disturbing. In times of economic crisis you should be investing in education, not cutting it,” she said.
“This is not just one more pupil per class. What it means is that you have less subject choice in second level. There are other options, including the €100m a year going into fee paying schools. If cuts are to be made, that is one that won’t impact on the least well-off.”

 

TUI reaction to Junior Cert reform covered in Irish Examiner, Irish Times, Irish Independent and Irish Daily Mail - 4/11/11

Junior Cert reform must be properly resourced - 3/11/11
TUI Education and Research Officer Bernie Judge warns of need for appropriate resources on RTE 1's Six and Nine news bulletins.

General Secretary Peter MacMenamin intererviewed on Junior Cert reform on Today FM's Last Word programme.

Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan interviewed on Q102's Scott Williams Show

TUI representatives interviewed on Today FM, Newstalk and various regional radio news bulletins.



Education cuts put recovery out of reach - Opinion editorial by TUI President Bernie Ruane - Irish Examiner 2/11/11

"More than at any other time in our history, and despite our economic predicament, we need to revise our thinking on education and look on it as capital investment in our young people’s future rather than current expenditure. Such a move would send out an unequivocally positive message to the international community while giving all students every possible chance to realise their educational potential. In addition, the long term economic and social dividends would be immeasurable. The question is not whether we can afford to invest in education, but rather can we afford not to." Click link above for full article.



Privilege bias at expense of marginalised must end now - Opinion editorial by TUI General Secretary Designate John MacGabhann, Irish Independent 26/10/11

"It has long been argued that private fee-paying schools would cease to exist if required to refund the estimated €100m subvention received from the State in the form of teacher allocation.

We believe that this is nonsense. Even if fees were increased, the majority of people currently doing so would continue to buy privilege.

However, even on examination of the economics involved it can be illustrated that the majority of fee-paying schools could reimburse their state funding and still have enough money to offer smaller class groups, greater subject choice and a range of other privileges." Click link above for full article.

Teachers plan to challenge lower rate for new entrants - Irish Independent 25/10/11

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) is also considering similar action.

A TUI spokesperson said it had sent correspondence to their legal advisors to see if the cut could be challenged as discriminatory under age or any other grounds.

"We remain gravely concerned by a situation that allows two teachers or lecturers doing the same work to be paid from different pay scales," said a TUI spokesperson.

Response to the TUI’s assertion that Junior Cert reform plans would do more damage than good - Chatterbox, Irish Times 25/10/11
 

Teachers welcome delay in changes to Junior Cert - thejournal.ie 21/10/11

THE TEACHERS’ UNION of Ireland has welcomed a decision by the Government to delay the introduction of a limit on subjects taken by students sitting the Junior Certificate exam.

A compulsory eight-subject limit will not be rolled out until 2014, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn announced yesterday.

“Principals and teachers were at a complete loss as to how this may impact on the school administration next year,” TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin has said. (extract - click link above to read remainder.) 

Number of Junior Certificate subjects to be limited to eight from 2014 - Irish Times 21/10/11

A PROPOSAL to limit the number of Junior Certificate subjects students sit exams in to eight will be put in place in 2014, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has said.

Mr Quinn announced yesterday that the reduced number of subjects students sit will apply to those pupils who first enter secondary school in 2014.

This means that the first cohort of students sitting the reduced-subject Junior Cert exam will do so in 2017.

The eight-subject limit will now be introduced as part of a wider Junior Cert reform which is due to be introduced on a phased basis in schools from 2014.

At the moment the bulk of those who sit the exams sit between nine and 10 exams but some take more.

Speaking yesterday Mr Quinn said there would be no obligation on schools to limit the number of subjects for students enrolling in 2012 or 2013 but that they could opt to do so if they wished.

“If schools can limit the number of exam subjects for students enrolling in next year or the year after, then I encourage them to do so. This will allow more time for literacy and numeracy and assist in the planning for the change that is coming anyway in 2014,” he said at the national conference of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals of second level schools in Killarney.

The move to delay the introduction of the eight-subject exam has been welcomed by teachers’ unions. The general secretary of the Teachers Union of Ireland, Peter MacMenamin said that, in making this announcement Mr Quinn had avoided “chaos” in schools next year and would allow consultation to further investigate concerns with regard to the move.

“We must avoid a situation where students would not be in a position to select the subjects which they have the most interest or ability in for examination. This could lead to a diminution of performance from those deprived of examination in their areas of interest and ultimately, a skills deficit in the country,” he said.

ASTI general secretary Pat King welcomed the move. “It makes no sense whatsoever to implement, on its own, a single proposal which is inextricably linked to the overall proposals. We appreciate that the Minister listened to our concerns in this regard,” he said. “We welcome today’s announcement in so far as it addresses a very real concern expressed by teachers.

“We now ask that the Minister, in examining the NCCA proposals for Junior Cert reform, gives due consideration to the other significant concerns of teachers as identified by the ASTI,” he said.
 

Junior Cert eight subject limit put off for two years - Irish Examiner 21/10/11


Quinn delays eight subject Junior Cert plan - Irish Daily Mail 21/10/11 (excerpt)
The U-turn was welcomed by teaching unions. TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said: "Its introduction next year could have led to chaos in schools. Principals and teachers were at a complete loss as to how this may impact on school administration." 

TUI: Junior Cert proposal could cause chaos - RTE  18/10/11

The Teachers' Union of Ireland has expressed concern at the potential impact of a Government proposal to limit the number of Junior Certificate exam subjects to eight for next year's first year students.

The TUI said the decision has caused consternation among teachers and principals.

The union said it could lead to a drop in student motivation and an increase in indiscipline in schools.

Under the proposal, students commencing second level in 2012 will only take eight subjects to examination level.

The Department of Education said this is to address subject 'overcrowding' and to free up more time to concentrate on core skills, such as literacy and numeracy.

However, the TUI said many classes could end up with a mix of students, some of whom are taking an examination and others who are not.

It said this will lead to clear de-motivation and discipline problems in the classroom.

The union said this will be greatly exacerbated in schools that have already been badly hit by a range of cutbacks.

The union also said many schools will be forced to drop subjects such as art, history, geography, technology and music as examination subjects.

Teachers say Junior Cert reform plans would do more harm than good - thejournal.ie 18/10/11

 

€400m may not cover student grants - Irish Examiner 13/10/11
Responding to reports that money paid to teachers for supervision and substitution could also be targeted, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland said such a move would be a pay cut and is not allowed under the Croke Park Agreement.

Under the deal guaranteeing no pay cuts in return for greater efficiency, second-level teachers who are paid extra for those duties are now timetabled for more supervision and substitution.

One in ten children miss class for 20 days - Evening Herald 12/10/11
And one of Ireland's largest teachers' unions has today warned that the figures show the education system is "taking its eye off the real issues".
All primary schools are obliged to report absences to the Department of Education in "specific circumstances" -- such as when pupils miss at least 20 days or where they are suspended for at least six school days.
But President of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) Bernie Ruane told the Herald that the issue of absences was "one of the most serious".
"We've found that one the big reasons for high absenteeism is the lack of year heads now in schools. Each school year at both primary and second level should have a year head.
"They play a vital role in ensuring children are motivated to go to school and also are integral in communicating regularly with parents.
"Of course, social problems have increased with the recession and for many children it is difficult to find a responsible adult or guardian. The bottom line is schools have a responsibility to motivate children and its that sense of motivation that keeps their attendance high."


Teachers' pay - Evening Echo 12/10/11
THE Teachers' Union of Ireland today warned that payments made to teachers for carrying out substitution and supervision duties in schools cannot be
removed as part of December's budget. The union, which represents second-level teachers in VEC schools and community and comprehensive schools, said this would be considered a pay cut.

Unemployed primary teachers can do probation through JobBridge - thejournal.ie  5/10/11
A spokesperson for the TUI also told TheJournal.ie this morning that the union “has not given its blessing” to the move. “The issue will be an agenda item at the union’s next executive committee meeting later in the month,” the spokesperson said.


RTE 1's Frontline programme, Monday 3/10/11
TUI President Bernie Ruane on panel debating the continued State subvention of fee-paying schools. Click here to view.


School Maths Alert - Irish Mirror 30/9/11
Teachers have warned maths will suffer if class sizes get any bigger, it was reported yesterday. They claimed schools have been hit with cutbacks which have a “disproportionate effect on the most vulnerable within the education system.”

Teachers’ Union of Ireland General Secretary Peter MacMenamin warned: “We already have a situation as a result of prior cutbacks where many schools are already mixing both higher and ordinary levels in a last effort to offer the subjects. A further increase in the pupil teacher ratio is a reduction in teacher numbers. In such a situation, many hard-pressed principals will be forced to drop options that cater for smaller numbers of students. In many cases, higher level maths fails into this category.”

Bernie Ruane interviewed on Junior Cert issues on FM104, Q102 and WLR.

One third of people teaching maths not qualified to do so - Irish Examiner (29/9/11)

Meanwhile, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said last night it has not signed up to proposals for replacement of the Junior Certificate.

The draft overhaul of the junior cycle put forward by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment includes a range of new assessments that would include some marking of student’s work by their own teachers.

TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said developing new courses and training of teachers will need significant investment that he believes will not be forthcoming.

Quinn faces battle over exam reform - Irish Independent (26/9/11)
Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) general secretary Peter McMenamin gave a broad welcome to the development, but also questioned whether the necessary resources would be forthcoming.

While the TUI is not opposed to teachers assessing their own students, he said it retained the view that they should be paid for this function.

Number of courses puts pressure on students - Irish Examiner (22/9/11) 

Teachers Union of Ireland general secretary designate John MacGabhann told the conference this could be done within the existing contracts of lecturers he represents in the institutes of technology.

However, he said some students could be restricted in their access to courses by proposals that more CAO points be given for Leaving Cert subjects linked to certain college courses.

"Many schools simply don’t have the broad range [of subjects] that is being assumed by the debate. [It raises] political questions about how resourcing is sent to schools."

TUI Deputy General Secretary and President interviewed on several regional radio stations regarding Junior Cert results 14/9/11


TUI claims findings are only of 'archaeological' relevance - Irish Times 14/9/11

THE OECD report has drawn a furious response from the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), which claims its “dated’’ findings are only of “archaeological’’ relevance.

It described elements of the report as being “beyond historic” in terms of its current relevance.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said on average Irish teachers earn less than workers with similar education levels and years of experience in Ireland. Teachers in Ireland, it said, earned on average 88 per cent of the income of workers with similar education levels in Ireland.

While the report showed Irish teachers on average earning above Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development levels of salary, they do less well than similarly qualified graduates in Ireland, the INTO said. At primary level, the report shows Irish teachers teaching 20 per cent longer than the EU average.

The report shows how average spending per student at all levels of education relative to gross domestic product per capita is among the lowest of the OECD countries. Below-average figures at primary and third-level bring Irish spending well below the OECD average. At primary level, Ireland ranks 25th of 32 countries.

Overall spending on education was 5.6 per cent of GDP in 2008, up on the 2007 figure of 4.7 per cent, but still below the OECD average at 5.9 per cent in 2008.

Despite relative under-investment, more pupils complete second-level here than in other countries. In the 1960s, 48 per cent of students went on to finish second-level (the OECD average was 61 per cent). Today, 91 per cent finish second-level compared to 82 per cent across the OECD. Ireland is the third highest OECD country for school completion.

Ireland also recorded the second highest growth in students getting to college between 1999 and 2009. Third-level completion in Ireland is 48 per cent, well above the OECD average of 37 per cent, or EU21 at 34 per cent

 

Teachers report 'beyond historic' - Irish Examiner 14/9/11
IRISH teachers have criticised a report which says they are among the best paid in the world as "beyond historic".
The OECD report, Education at a Glance, says Irish primary school teachers are the second highest paid among 33 OECD countries, while secondary teachers are third or fourth highest paid.

According to the report, primary school teachers here earn an average of $60,355 compared with the OECD average of $38,914 and the EU average of $39,735.

"At primary level, Irish teachers are better paid in absolute terms than teachers in other countries. The relative position of primary level teachers, here, improves as they move from the minimum to the maximum of the pay scale. At secondary level, Irish teachers are also better paid than elsewhere," the report states.

However, the salary figures are based on data from 2008 pay levels and do not take into account public service pay cuts such as the pension levy of 7.5% and pay cuts of 6.5%.

Unions have hit out at the report, saying it gave a historic view of teacher pay.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland president Bernie Ruane said the report was "beyond historic" in terms of its current relevance.

However, she pointed out that key indicators, not based on economic factors, endorse the job being done by Irish teachers.

"The survey unambiguously highlights the large volume of work carried out by Irish teachers, with the number of teaching hours at second level (735) vastly exceeding the OECD average of 679. By way of local comparison, the figure for England is 714 hours," said Ms Ruane.

General secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation Sheila Nunan said: "At primary level, the report shows Irish teachers teaching 20% longer than the EU-21 average, the third highest of 31 countries. On average Irish teachers teach three additional pupils per class and Irish classes remain the second highest in the EU.

"In addition, Ireland’s spending on non-teaching staff in schools is significantly lower than the OECD average," she added.


Teachers here paid €15k above average  - But unions insist figures fail to factor in 'meltdown' Irish Daily Mail 14/9/11
Teachers Union of Ireland president Bernie Ruane said: “The report lacks evidence on the impact of our economic meltdown on education spending. When indicators are based on economic factors, some comparisons are beyond historic due to the seismic changes that have occurred since the collation of the data.
“The information on teachers’ salaries was collated in 2009 and does not take into account the pension levy effective from the start of that year, the pay cut effective from January 1st 2010 and the further 14% pay reduction for new entrant teachers from January 1st of this year. In fact, take home pay for teachers is now 20% lower than it was in 2008."

Results come a week before changes ratified - Irish Examiner 14/9/11


Teachers’ Union of Ireland deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said it is vital that those who have come this far in their education be enabled to continue at school. She urged that programmes which help students who might otherwise drop out after Junior Certificate to stay at school be insulated from further cutbacks.

"We again appeal to the Department of Education to fill the position of national co-ordinator of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, which was not filled after a retirement. For a miniscule saving, the department is negatively impacting on the aspirations of 7,000 students in the programme at a time when there has been a worrying drop-off in the number of students completing the two-year course," Ms Dolan said.

High failure rates in Junior Cert maths and languages - Irish Times 14/11
Last night, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland advised all students who receive their Junior Cert results today to stay on and complete a Leaving Cert programme.

Evening Herald 14/9/11
The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has encouraged all students
who received their results today to consider the importance of achieving their Leaving Cert given the current climate.
Spokeswoman Annette Dolan said: "It has never been more vital in the current climate."


Exam kids hailed but testing time for science - Irish Daily Mirror 14/9/11

The TUI encouraged all students who receive their results today to stay on and do their Leaving Cert. Spokeswoman Annette Dolan said: "It has never been more vital that all students seek to at least attain a Leaving Certificate as in the current climate they have little or no chance of entering the workforce without one."


TUI sets up helpline as retirement queries surge - Irish Independent 10/9/11

SO many secondary school teachers have been making enquiries regarding early retirement, the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) has had to set up a special helpline to deal with their queries.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said it is vital that those who have come this far in their education be enabled to continue at school. She urged that programmes which help students who might otherwise drop out after Junior Certificate to stay at school be insulated from further cutbacks.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said it is vital that those who have come this far in their education be enabled to continue at school. She urged that programmes which help students who might otherwise drop out after Junior Certificate to stay at school be insulated from further cutbacks.
 

"We again appeal to the Department of Education to fill the position of national co-ordinator of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, which was not filled after a retirement. For a miniscule saving, the department is negatively impacting on the aspirations of 7,000 students in the programme at a time when there has been a worrying drop-off in the number of students completing the two-year course," Ms Dolan said.

Higher failure rates in Junior Cert maths and languages - Irish Times 14/9/11

Teachers’ Union of Ireland deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said it is vital that those who have come this far in their education be enabled to continue at school. She urged that programmes which help students who might otherwise drop out after Junior Certificate to stay at school be insulated from further cutbacks.

Peter McMenamin, general secretary of the TUI, said: "We have had hundreds of inquiries. I am presuming not all of these people will go for retirement, but if they did all go at once we would be in serious trouble."

Mr McMenamin said pre-retirement courses organised by unions had been booked out for months, with the change in pension entitlements from next February the main driving force for the exodus.

It is a similar situation in the university sector.

Mike Jennings of the Irish Federation of University Teachers said university HR departments were also experiencing a surge in inquiries about early retirement.

"There has been a big increase in the number of retirements in the past two years and we expect it to be even bigger next year," he said.

Mr Jennings said if a large number of third-level staff were to take early retirement, the courses would have to be slashed.

The Department of Education was unable to provide estimates for the number of teaching staff it expects to leave.


Yates' education comments contested - Irish Examiner 5/9/11

IVAN Yates makes several assertions (Opinion, September 1), some of which are completely false, some of which need to be put in a proper context, and some of which defy logic.

He states that teachers are allowed 21 days absence without certification. This is misleading nonsense. A teacher may not exceed seven sick days in a year without a medical certificate.

He wheels out OECD indicators which show Ireland in a bad light in terms of literacy and numeracy skills, yet neglects to mention that we languish 30th out of 33 OECD countries in terms of investment in education.

He says that 85% of the education budget is spent on payroll, but declines to put that in the context of us spending a shamefully lower proportion of our money on education than we did even in 1996. Back then, 19% of spending went on education compared to just 16% now. By comparison, health spending rose from 21% to 25% and social welfare from 22% to 36%. As Minister Quinn conceded at the MacGill Summer School, perhaps we need to debate on our low investment in the sector.

The figure of second level teachers working just 735 hours is also misleading. Although this most basic figure is well above the OECD average of 682 hours, independent research from Behaviour and Attitudes shows that second level teachers work an average of 46 hours per week when duties outside scheduled timetable hours are included. This equates to teachers working 1,536 hours, or over twice that referred to by Mr Yates. Teachers will also work an extra hour every week as part of the Croke Park Agreement at a time when many have had their hours cut and take home pay has been hit by up to 20%.

Primary teachers work 1,659 and 1,265 hours per week in the Netherlands and Britain, he contends. We would remind him that any week contains 168 hours. We suggest he should spend more time researching his articles.

Bernie Ruane
President, Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI)
Dublin 6

Struggle for parents to pay exclusive school fees - Sunday Independent 4/9/11

'While parents of some of the 26,000 students in fee-paying schools may grapple with fees averaging €5,000, almost 200,000 parents cannot afford to buy their children's school uniforms, according to the applications for the back-to-school allowance. "If people want to buy a private education, that's fine. But they must pay the full economic cost," said Peter McMenamin, of the Teachers' Union of Ireland.'


Unfair advantage? Sunday Times 4/9/11
Full page article on the issue of state subvention to fee paying schools - TUI extensively quoted

'Peter MacMenamin, general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) argues that this 50% state funding is no longer tenable. "I believe parents should have freedom of choice," he said. "But not at taxpayers expense.
The TUI proposes that Ruairi Quinn, the education minister, should phase out funding to fee-paying schools, allowing them to adjust their business model. MacMenamin believes this years increase in enrolment figures is evidence that parents can afford to shoulder the full cost of their children's private education. "If you want a private educatoin, with all the perceived benefits, go ahead and pay for it," he said.

Up to 8,500 public servants to retire in coming months - Sunday Business Post 4/9/11

'Peter McMenamin, general secretary of the TUI, said that his union had received so many enquiries regarding early retirements that it set up a hotline to deal with the number of queries.'

Private schools: are they worth it? Irish Times 3/9/11

'Some see private schools as one of the last bastions of privilege in a more egalitarian, meritocratic society. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has even accused some fee-paying schools of “educational apartheid”. The union says State funding should be withdrawn from private schools that pick the best pupils and exclude immigrants and those with learning needs.'


President Bernie Ruane interviewed on RTE Radio 1's News At One regarding cuts to LCA programme - 1/9/11 

Cut to Leaving Cert Applied criticised - Irish Times 1/9/11

IN THE latest education cutback, the Department of Education is not filling the vacant post of national co-ordinator of the Leaving Certificate Applied.

The move has been sharply criticised by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, which said it may be motivated by “academic snobbery’’.

First examined in 1995, the Applied Leaving is designed for less academic pupils. It has been widely praised for its role in helping to keep students in school and preparing them for the workplace.

Almost 380 schools or centres provide the programme, but 30 schools dropped it this year after the removal of the preferential pupil-teacher ratio and some support grants.

Under the department’s move, one person will take overall responsibility for co-ordinating both the Leaving Certificate Applied and Transition Year programmes.

Last night, the department confirmed the plan. It said it proposed to continue to provide for service in the Leaving Certificate Applied area, with the co-ordination of activities taken over by other personnel.


Now not the right time for changes to Junior Cert - teacher union - Irish Independent 27/8/11

NOW is not the time for a radical overhaul of the Junior Certificate, teachers said yesterday.

They were responding to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn's plans to introduce continuous assessment to the system in what teachers said amounted to "sweeping educational reform".

For the third time in more than two decades, attempts are being made to change the way young students are tested in school which could result in written exams accounting for up to half of their Junior Cert marks.

If accepted, the first revised exam could take place in 2015. But even though the new proposals have yet to be finalised, the minister was bluntly told yesterday that given the cuts already beginning to bite, now was not the time to introduce such a measure.

The Teachers' Union of Ireland -- one of the two teacher unions whose agreement would be needed to make any new assessment system work -- urged the minister to hold off on any such proposals for the next one or two years.

"In the context of the current climate of education cuts, now is not the time for sweeping educational reform," union general secretary Peter MacMenamin said.

'Insulate'

He said it was time to "insulate" the core educational service to students, not move focus away from it. Unlike the main secondary union, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI), the TUI does not have a difficulty with the concept of teachers assessing their own students.

Already about half of the TUI's 12,000 members were involved in assessing their own students for certification purposes at third level and in further education. But with cutbacks and threats to raise the pupil-teacher ratio as part of the next Budget, now was not the best time to introduce this new measure, said Mr MacMenamin.

ASTI, however, remains implacably opposed to its teachers assessing their own pupils. "We are in favour of Junior Cert reform but we have a policy that teachers do not assess their own students for state examinations and nothing has changed in relation to that," said a spokeswoman.

ASTI fears that assessment by students' own teachers would damage the student-teacher relationship and place them in a position of adjudicator rather than advocate of their students.

Teachers in the UK and elsewhere succesfully use a form of continuous assessment. But teachers here differ over aspects of continuous assessment, with some favouring assessment by other teachers instead of by themselves. Earlier this year, the minister acknowledged the social pressure teachers might face in assessing their own students. But officials believe there are ways around this.


'Leave those kids alone' - The Star 27/8/11
CASH-strapped schools have been so badly hit by cuts that they can
only provide a "skeletal education service" so now is not the time to
change the Junior Cert, a teachers' union warned yesterday.
The Teachers' Union of Ireland yesterday came out against implementing Junior Cert curriculum
changes as a way of slashing budgets unless it is done for education.


Teachers' union opposes Junior Cert reforms - Irish Examiner 27/8/11

"It is a time to insulate the core educational service to students, not move focus away from it," said TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin.

"Teachers have always shown a commitment to positive reform, but any change should be for sound educational reasons and not as a way of securing more savings within the sector."

In its submission to the NCCA consultation on junior cycle reform, the TUI expressed concern that the reform agenda initiated by former minister Batt O’Keeffe in 2009 was driven by political efforts to cut examination costs.

Mr MacMenamin said a skeletal education service is all that remains in many of the schools worst affected by cutbacks, while there are fears that Mr Quinn may cut staffing further by increasing the pupil-teacher ratio from next autumn in the 2012 budget.

Click link above to read full article

Publishers should cut cost of school books, says TUI - Irish Examiner 25/8/11

Bernie Ruane also interviewed on CAO options for students on 98FM, Q102, FM104, 4FM and Midwest Radio.

19,200 CAO applicants still waiting for offers - Irish Examiner 22/8/11
Teachers’ Union of Ireland president Bernie Ruane said that while there is still a chance for many of those left disappointed today, anyone offered a place should treat it as the only offer they will get because there is no guarantee of any more courses being offered.

'Irish not spoken here' - TUI President Bernie Ruane interviewed and quoted in Sunday Times article on the Irish language and the Leaving Cert 21/8/11

TUI President Bernie Ruane refutes 'dated' findings of CSO report on earnings of those working in education - Today FM and Newstalk 19/8/11

Third level bosses seek to reform system - Irish Examiner 18/8/11

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland said its members are open to reforms but change must be properly resourced if it is to be effective, and should not be done as a shortsighted knee-jerk reaction or just to make savings.

Drop in students taking vital subjects due to budget cuts - Irish Independent 18/8/11

President of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI), Bernie Ruane, said this year's results illustrate the real effects of education cutbacks.

"We are gravely concerned by the fall in the number of students completing the LCA programme and also the fall in the number of distinctions and merits achieved in it this year.

Grants paid to schools who provide the Applied programme were cut in 2009, the same year in which pupil-teacher ratios were increased.

Ms Ruane said it was "no coincidence" that students on the two-year course were coming out with lower grades given the attack on resources.

"This is a clear illustration of the damage that education cuts wreak on the most vulnerable students," she added.


TUI President Bernie Ruane interviewed live on RTE's Drivetime programme re Leaving Cert issues including effect of cuts on Leaving Cert Applied programme 17/8/11

Drop in standards at applied level a result of cutbacks - Irish Examiner 17/8/11 

Teachers’ Union of Ireland president Bernie Ruane said it is no coincidence that resources for such students were attacked during the two-year programme.

"The attack on the pupil-teacher ratio and grants for this programme represented a new low in terms of targeting the most vulnerable in our education system, and the results illustrate the real effects of education cutbacks."

Ibec calls for major overhaul of Leaving Cert - Irish Times 17/8/11
President of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland Bernie Ruane also congratulated students on their results but expressed concern that moves to increase the pupil-teacher ratio will damage the subject areas the country should be looking to promote.

Peter MacMenamin interviewed on Newstalk 106's Lunchtime programme in relation to allowances payable to those correcting and supervising State Examinations 10/8/11 



Bigger classes may reduce subject choice - Sunday Business Post  7/8/11

(TUI) has already indicated that it would be campaigning strongly against any such proposals, saying it was a retrograde step. Its deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said that ultimately the students would lose out.
'If you increase the pupil teacher ratio even by one, that is not just putting one extra student in the class. What it is doing is cutting the range of subject options, making class sizes bigger, giving less focus and attention to weaker students in the classroom," she said.
 

Read it and weep: the school book industry is a rip-off – Sunday Times 7/8/11
Bernie Ruane, the president of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, accused school book publishers last year of ‘sharp practice’ in producing unnecessary and frequent new editions, rendering older books obsolete.

Teachers reject pay cut despite class size fears – Sunday Times 7/8/11
Annette Dolan, deputy general secretary of the TUI, said it had not made a submission because it didn’t believe any more cuts could be made.
“Teachers have already taken pay cuts of up to 20% they can’t take any more,” she said. “Also, we’re tied into the Croke Park agreement, so pay is not an issue. We have been highlighting the €100m the department is giving to private fee-paying schools. If they’re looking for savings, that’s where they should start.”

Class sizes may rise – Sunday Times 7/8/11
Annette Dolan, deputy general secretary, TUI described the move as a ‘retrograde step’. “If you increase the pupil teacher ratio even by one, that is not putting an extra student in the class, what it is doing is cutting the range of subject options, making class sizes bigger and giving less focus and attention to weaker students in the classroom.” 


TUI deputy general secretary Annette Dolan interviewed re educaiton cutbacks on Newstalk's Global Village programme 6/8/11 

TUI representatives were also interviewed on all national and several regional radio bulletins on the issue. TUI deputy general secretary Annette Dolan interviewed on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime. TUI position also mentioned on all RTE TV news bulletins.

Teachers angered by threat of increasd class sizes - Irish Examiner 5/8/11

Quinn urged to focus on teacher numbers and abandon exam reform - Irish Times 5/8/11

Subjects facing chop if class sizes rise - Irish Independent 5/8/11


The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) spoke
out, saying the move would wreak "irreparable
damage" on the system. TUI deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said: "Ultimately it's the students that lose out." - The Star 5/8/11

Peter MacMenamin, general secretary of the TUI, said subjects such as physics and maths - which have been highlighted by the Government as priorities - would be hardest hit by the changes.
Mr MacMenamin said: "The Government is paying lip service to the interests of children. It's an appalling decision. This is about the fourth round of cuts in this crisis and on each and every occasion, we have said, and the parents have said, stop cutting the education of children. In an ecomomic crisis, it is always advised not to cut education. This type of decision is making the situation worse." - 'Fury at plan to make school classes bigger' - Daily Irish Mail 5/8/11

 

Writing on the wall for school book reprints - Sunday Times 31/7/11
Publishers of school books have offered to drop the practice of repeatedly publishing new editions of popular classroom texts.
Annette Dolan, deputy general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) said: "We certainly welcome this if they are not going to bring out a new edition unless there's a change in the curriculum. There is no need to change a book unless the curriculum changes dramatically."

Get rid of burnt-out teachers, says Quinn - Irish Daily Mail 29/7/11
TUI has called on the minister to reinstate an early retirement scheme that was frozen in the 2009 budget. Peter MacMenamin, general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) said there was an easy way to solve the problem. 'This gave teachers the necessary option to end their career with dignity as they chose,' he said.
Mr MacMenamin said Mr Quinn should consider offering teachers a retirement scheme similar to the ones available in other parts of the public service.
'He might examine the options available to the gardai and to psychiatric nurses to retire at a younger age. The present proposals are for later retirement, which will worsen the situation,' he said.

New agency Solas welcomed by unions - Irish Times 28/7/11

"The Teachers Union of Ireland, which which represents teachers in vocational education committees and lecturers in institutes of technology, welcomed the establishment of Solas as the new State training agency.

TUI deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said: “This announcement comes at a critical time for education and training in the country. We welcome the Minister’s affirmation that VECs will be ultimately responsible for the delivery to the public of both further education and training services. This proven sector is ideally placed to develop the balanced skill set that the country urgently requires with a wide range of high quality and fully accredited courses.”"

TUI's welcome of Solas also covered by RTE

Will Quinn impose sanctions to stop 'apartheid' in schools? - Irish Times 26/7/11


Continuous assessments on cards for Junior Cert students - Irish Independent 12/7/11

Bigger classes on the way as student numbers begin to soar - Irish Independent 28/6/11

"Teachers' Union of Ireland general secretary Peter MacMenamin said any further cuts would have devastating consequences, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalised students."


Teachers face on-the-spot tests in surprise school inspections - Irish Independent 16/6/11

Teacher unions may oppose inspections plan - Irish Examiner 16/6/11

Parents deserve to know their children get treated fairly – Irish Examiner analysis, Niall Murray 14/6/11

However, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, whose second-level members work mostly in vocational schools, repeated its assertion of selective enrolments, claiming the department’s inaction has facilitated some schools in flouting education and equality law. “In too many cases where a school is not full, refusals to enrol students are made for spurious reasons where the pupil would not present any health and safety danger to the existing school community,” said Peter MacMenamin, TUI general secretary.



Schools face losing control of enrolment in radical new plans - Irish Independent 14/6/11

Department proposes school enrolment changes - RTE 13/6/11


TUI subject representatives providing daily analysis for national media throughout State Examinations.

Peter MacMenamin interviewed on RTE Radio 1's This Week programme regarding the continued funding of capital projects in fee paying schools - 15/5/11

Peter MacMenamin interviewed on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland programme regarding the reskilling/education provisions in Government's jobs initiative announcement 11/5/11

Why Brian Mooney is wrong on fee-paying schools and the TUI - Irish Times opinion editorial by President Bernie Ruane 10/5/11

Annual Congress 2011
TUI’s positions on the future of the Croke Park Agreement, the inequitable double funding of fee-paying schools and the savage cuts to the terms and conditions of new entrant teachers and lecturers were among the issues that received extensive coverage in the run-up to, during and after Congress.
TUI representatives were interviewed by RTE Radio 1’s Morning Ireland, Today With Pat Kenny, Drivetime and all major news bulletins and various other Today FM, Newstalk, 4FM and regional current affairs and news programmes. The conference received extensive coverage on RTE’s television news bulletins with RTE cameras present at the event on all three days.
Prior to the conference, the union highlighted the challenges due to the impending increase in student numbers, the selective enrolment procedures promoted in some schools and the findings of a survey carried out among the public which shows appreciation for the increasingly difficult job of teachers. 
Other areas which received attention included TUI’s vision for the apprenticeship system, survey carried out among school principals on the effects of the cutbacks and a call for fairer protocols around the production of school books.




TUI General Secretary outlines key issues to be discussed at this week's Congress on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland 26/4/11

RTE Radio 1 news bulletins mention TUI's warning that further cuts will damage any chance of economic recovery 26/4/11

General Secretary interviewed on Newstalk's Breakfast Show 26/4/11

TUI General Secretary interviewed on 4FM morning news 26/4/11

TUI urges revamp to apprenticeship system - Irish Examiner 26/4/11

Quinn rules out reversal on cutbacks - Irish Examiner 25/4/11

Teaching 'more difficult in past 10 years' - Irish Independent 25/4/11

It's 'tougher than ever' to be a teacher - The Star 25/4/11 Extensive article on Behaviour & Attitudes survey commissioned by TUI

TUI General Secretary interviewed on RTE 1's Six and Nine news bulletins ahead of TUI's annual Congress 24/4/11

Teachers 'living in poverty' - Sunday Business Post 24/4/11

Pay to top the agenda at annual teacher meetings - Sunday Business Post 24/4/11

Fee-paying schools engaged in 'apartheid' - Irish Times 23/4/11

Numbers in secondary school to grow by 20% - Irish Times 22/4/11

Story also covered in Irish Star and Irish Mirror

Peter MacMenamin speaks about challenges facing education system in face of rising student numbers on RTE's Drivetime programme 21/4/11
 

Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan interviewed on TG4's 7 Lá programme 21/4/11


RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland news bulletins note TUI being 'gravely concerned' at resource staff restrictions in second level schools. 14/4/11
 

Delay in support for pupils with learning difficulties - Irish Examiner 1/4/11

TUI general secretary outlines reasoning behind members' decision to endorse Public Service Agreement - RTE Radio 1's Drivetime 24/3/11

TUI backs Croke Park - second ballot endorses deal - Irish Times 24/3/11

Second-level class sizes hit by cutbacks - Sunday Times 13/3/11

Declan Glynn, the assistant general secretary of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland said an increase in ratio can have a detrimental effect on education. “When you disimprove the ratio, class sizes automatically increase or else you have to reduce tuition time or reduce the number of subject options,” he said. “Specialist subjects such as physics come under threat because schools find it difficult to justify staffing for smaller classes, even though these are the very subjects we need taught for economic recovery.”

Quinn has no plans to stop funds for fee-paying schools - Irish Independent 11/3/11

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of State support for the fee-paying sector. TUI demands for the payment of teachers’ salaries to cease become sharper in light of budgetary cutbacks in education in recent years. Union general secretary Peter MacMenamin has queried how the continued funding could be justified when supports for disadvantaged pupils are being withdrawn. Mr MacMenamin said yesterday: “We would find it unconscionable that any Government would further cut services to the most disadvantaged in schools while continuing to fund privilege.”



Teachers to vote again on deal - Irish Times 5/3/11

Teachers still to give verdict on Croke Park deal - Irish Independent 3/3/11

TUI fury over FG plan to publish exam results - Irish Independent 2/3/11

TUI defends right to highlight party policy positions - letter sent to Irish Independent 21/2/11

Unions slammed for interference - Sunday Independent front page 20/2/11

It's war as Fine Gael faces wrath of the unions - Evening Herald 19/2/11

Fine Gael and Labour at war over union vote - Irish Independent front page 19/2/11

TUI chief warns of 'serious' FG threat - Irish Examiner 19/2/11

Education and the general election - letter by Peter MacMenamin published in Irish Times 18/2/11

SF just keeps saying yes to teachers - Irish Independent 17/2/11 

Teachers unions angered by Fine Gael plan to publish Leaving results - Irish Independent 15/2/11
Teachers' Union of Ireland general secretary Peter MacMenamin said self-evaluation was an unknown and complex conceptand could easily end up with the teacher spending increasing amounts of time evaluating rather than teaching. He warned that resources in the preparation of the annual reports would eat into valuable school resources.

Coughlan blasted over appointment - Irish Independent 11/2/11

Fixing the education system - TUI President Bernie Ruane responds to Ed Walsh's 'provocative and flawed' criticisms - Irish Times 7/2/11

TUI delays work reform vote until after election - Irish Examiner 31/1/11

Teacher unions to hold second ballot on reform deal - Irish Times 24/1/11


Fee paying schools get €100m from State - Irish Times 17/1/11

 'Give me a crash course in....new school admission policies' - Irish Times 15/1/11

Lecturers warn over college reforms - Irish Examiner 13/1/11

Report delay shows lack of urgency - Irish Times 12/1/11

Student fees system recommended in new plan - RTE 11/1/11

TUI position of Hunt report being 'confused and underdeveloped' mentioned on RTE Radio news bulletins.

Schools facing ban on holding places for past pupils' children - Irish Independent 11/1/11
The forthcoming changes are a follow-up to an audit of enrolment policies published in 2007 which found a very uneven distribution of special
needs pupils. This led to charges of 'cherry picking'.
In its submission, the Teachers' Union of Ireland called for financial penalties on schools if they did not take their fair share of pupils with special
needs.

Academics to face strict penalties - Irish Independent 6/1/11

Tens of millions wasted on sites for schools never built - Irish Independent 20/12/10
Teachers' unions said the lack of progress on school sites was
"inexplicable".
"It is inexcusable that children and teachers are enduring sub-standard schools while sites are available for modern buildings. This is inexplicable."
TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said that the situation
was a "further indictment of flawed policy and planning.

Army urged to wage war on obesity in youngsters - Irish Independent 16/12/10

TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan calls for abolition of FAS in current form - RTE Six One News 10/12/10

Results black mark for our system says Quinn - Irish Times 8/12/10
Reaction to OECD report also covered in Irish Examiner


Reading, maths skills of Irish students show alarming fall - Irish Independent 8/12/10

TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan gives Budget reaction to Newstalk, Q102, FM104, 98FM and TG4 7/12/10

Schools will not make up lost days says department - Irish Times 3/12/10

Basic student skills going into third level questioned - Irish Times 3/12/10

50,000 turn out to oppose austerity in central Dublin - Sunday Business Post 28/11/10

RTE Radio 1 Saturday View 27/11/10 - TUI member interviewed at rally
RTE Six and Nine television news 27/11/10 - TUI member interviewed

Unions: Most vulnerable students will suffer - Irish Examiner 27/11/10
Low paid workers in education to have salaries cut - Irish Times 27/11/10 Also covered in Irish Independent

Freeze on permanent teaching jobs - RTE 26/11/10

Fees will force students out of education and out of the country - Irish Examiner 25/11/10 Also covered in Evening Echo and Daily Mirror

RTE website - TUI's initial reaction to four year plan

Clip of TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan at public meeting on proposed changes to pension provision for new teachers played on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland 24/11/10

TUI comment on feeder schools lists - Irish Daily Mail, 19/11/10
"TUI believes that a school’s mission is considerably more expansive and generous than this. If third level access rates were the only indicator of the success or otherwise of a school, the meaning of education would be severely distorted."

Parents buying their children's school success, figures show - Irish Independent 18/11/10

Full page article on PLC courses - quotes TUI research - Evening Herald 16/11/11

Only 5% of school vacancies filled - Irish Examiner 11/11/10

RTE's Morning Ireland clarifies TUI situation re: Croke Park Agreement after incorrect Kieran Mulvey statement on previous show 11/11/10

Schools fear €100m teachers salary subsidy will be next - Irish Independent 8/11/10

Trident report on pensions covered in Sunday Business Post - 7/11/10

Teachers' union suspends industrial action - Irish Independent 6/11/10

TUI to enter Croke Park deal after action vote - Irish Examiner 6/11/10

ICTU to stage national protest on economic crisis - Irish Examiner 5/11/10
Article also highlights teacher unions' pensions campaign

Peter MacMenamain discusses Trident pensions report on Today FM's Matt Cooper show

Greens set to support fees of up to €2,500 - Irish Times 2/11/10

'What do lecturers really do all week?' - Sunday Times 31/10/10
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin highlights high workloads of IoT lecturers


Couglan asks schools to stop hiring retired teachers - Irish Independent 30/10/10

Green TD warns of severe cuts to education - Irish Examiner 22/10/10

It's time to celebrate the brave return of early school leavers - Irish Independent 20/10/10

No scope for redundancies at largest institutes - Irish Examiner 19/10/10

Threat of redundancy prompts fresh ballot on pay deal - Irish Times 16/10/10

U-turn as teachers vote on joining pay talks - Irish Independent 16/10/10

TUI set to ballot on industrial action - Irish Examiner 16/10/10

Peter MacMenamin also interviewed on RTE TV news, Assistant General Secretary John MacGabhann interviewed on Today FM news and Today FM's Last Word programme - 15/10/10

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin speaks in relation to TUI members in Institutes of Technology on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland  - 15/10/10

Workloads in Institutes of Technology - Irish Times 30/9/10

RTE News At One -Interview with TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin in relation to special conference - 27/9/10

Union votes to prolong action - Irish Independent 27/9/10

Prospect of school disruption as TUI votes to continue industrial action - Irish Times  27/9/10

Teachers refuse to end industiral action - Sunday Independent 27/9/10

Strong demand sees sharp rise in number of PLC applicants - Irish Examiner 15/9/10

RTE One news report on TUI survey - RTE 14/9/10
Also featured on 6 and 9 bulletins

TUI: Thousands missing out on PLC courses - breakingnews.ie 14/9/10 
Surge in PLC course applicants - Irish Times 14/9/10
Sharp rise in people seeking PLC courses - RTE 14/9/10

TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan outlines findings of TUI survey on demand for PLC courses - Morning Ireland, Radio 1 14/9/10

Ireland in education relegation zone - Irish Examiner 8/9/10

We're bottom of the class for education spending - Irish Independent 8/9/10

Education must be well funded - Irish Independent Editorial 8/9/10

Peter MacMenamin interviewed on Newstalk Lunchtime programme on FAS issues.  8/9/10

Irish education spending at height of boom was fourth lowest in OECD - Irish Times 8/9/10

OECD highlights poor Irish education spending - RTE 7/9/10

TUI position re: FAS mentioned on Radio 1's Drivetime programme 7/9/10

Ireland bottom of schoolbooks league - Irish Examiner 4/9/10

Parents turn to credit unions for school bills help - Sunday Independent 29/8/10

Schoolbook publishers accused of 'sharp practice' over new editions - Irish Times 27/8/10

TUI calls for protocols to regulate new editions of books - Irish Examiner 26/8/10

TUI President Bernie Ruane on RTE's Morning Ireland discussing TUI call for more protocols for school book publishers 26/8/10
TUI President and TUI education and research officer also interviewed on several local radio stations on same issue.

Call for 'responsibility' from textbook publishers - breakingnews.ie 24/8/10
School leavers feel squeeze from mature students - Irish Examiner 23/8/10 (TUI advice also covered in Irish Times CAO supplement)
160,000 seeking help with school costs - Sunday Independent 22/8/10
Teacher union warns of chaos over failure to fill posts - Irish Times 21/8/10
 

Thoughts turn to CAO offers - Irish Examiner 18/8/10 (TUI advice also covered in Irish Times supplement)
Coughlan eases promotion ban but union warns of school chaos in September - Irish Times 6/7/10
Coughlan to allow a number of vacant teaching posts to be filled - Irish Examiner 6/7/10
Cautious welcome to easing of school posts ban - Irish Independent 6/7/10
TUI position mentioned on RTE television's Six One and Nine bulletins 5/7/10
TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan was interviewed on RTE's Morning Ireland on this issue on 6/7/10

 

Fury as fee-paying schools get extra €1m in government grants - Irish Independent 10/5/10

TUI says clarification does not offer even a morsel of comfor to teachers - Irish Times 8/5/10

All to play for as Croke Park agreement receives boost - Irish Examiner 8/5/10

Department says deal with not affect teacher holidays - Irish Times 6/5/10

Teacher unions to vote on public sector deal - Irish Independent 4/5/10

Why proposals are a bridge too far - interview with Peter MacMenamin on RTE Radio 1's This Week programme, 25/4/10

Tyranny of the majority cannot be allowed rule - Irish Times opinion editorial by TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin 15/4/10

TUI policies and positions received extensive coverage in the print and broadcast media over the course of the union's annual conference, including Primetime, all television news broadcasts, all radio news bulletins and all broadcast and tabloid newspapers. Full details available on request from TUI head office.
Issues covered included the union's strong recommendation against the new Croke Park proposals, the importance of lifting the cap on PLC numbers, the increase in discipline problems and the effects of education cutbacks in third level colleges.  An opinion editorial by Peter MacMenamin in the Irish Times also shattered the myths that all teachers are permanent, in secure employment and on full hours.

TUI says 46% of teachers aware of racist incident in past month - Irish Times 5/4/10
Racism on the rise among teenage pupils - Irish Independent 5/4/10
Schools and colleges 'ill-equipped' to deal with rise in racism incidents - Irish Examiner 5/4/10
TUI General Secretary appeared on Radio 1's Morning Ireland

TUI General Secretary appeared on RTE's Six One news. 4/4/10

Teachers working 46 hours a week - Irish Times 2/4/10
Teachers do 24 hours of extra work each week - Irish Independent 2/4/10
Educators are not getting the credit they deserve - Irish Independent 2/4/10
Half of teachers work outside the classroom - Irish Examiner 2/4/10

Teacher union split on reform deal - Irish Times 1/4/10
Pay deal at risk after TUI rejects proposals - Irish Examiner 1/4/10
Teaching unions split on pay proposals - Irish Independent 1/4/10
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin appeared on RTE 1's 9 news on 31/3/10 and on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland 1/4/10 and on Today FM's The Last Word 1/4/10
TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan appeared on TV3's Midday programme 1/4/10
TUI General Secretary and President appeared on several national and local radio news programmes and bulletins.

Coughlan move won't ease her political problems - Irish Examiner 24/3/10
Responsibility for Fas divided between three departments - Irish Times 24/3/10
No tears are shed as lamentable Coughlan gently demoted  - Irish Independent 24/3/10

TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan appeared on TV3's Tonight With Vincent Browne to discuss trade union issues and the damage done to the education system by cutbacks 11/3/10

Flying colours or whitewash?
TUI executive committee member Gerry Quinn contributes to debate on grade inflation - Sunday Tribune 7/3/10

TUI criticises further attack on LCA - Irish Times 2/3/10
Union position also covered in Irish Mirror

Union action could close some schools - Irish Times 24/2/10
TUI position also reported in Irish Examiner and Irish Daily Mail

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin outlines effects of moratorium on appointments to middle management posts in schools - Today with Pat Kenny, Radio 1,  23/2/10 
Also interviewed on Newstalk
Teachers told to stop retirement cover - irishtimes.com 23/2/10
Unions block cover for retried teachers - RTE 

Teachers learn a tough lesson - Sunday Business Post 14/2/10

Profile of Ballyfermot College of Further Education, including TUI research on numbers applying for PLC courses - Morning Ireland, Radio 1, 11/2/10

Oscar nominations: TUI highlights role PLC colleges can play - Irish Times 9/2/10

Unions meet to review campaign - covered in Irish Times, Irish Examiner and Irish Independent 26/1/10

Promotions ban hurting vulnerable students, says union - Irish Times 20/1/10 
Statement also covered in Irish Independent and Irish Examiner.

TUI advises teachers on time lost due to snow days - Peter MacMenamin on Morning Ireland, RTE Radio 1

Teachers should not make up lost hours outside class - Sunday Tribune 17/1/10

Schools may face further disruption in new year - Irish Times 21/12/09

Teachers likely to stall Junior Cert reform - Irish Times 18/12/09

Trade unions plan various forms of action over pay cuts - Irish Times 12/12/09

Teachers plan work-to-rule over cutbacks - Irish Independent 12/12/09
 

Threat of teachers' strike over budget - RTE Six One News

Discussions on school reform are over, unions tell O' Keeffe - Irish Independent 11/12/09

Union general secretary featured on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime and Newstalk's Right Hook programmes 10/12/09

 

TUI budget reaction covered in Irish Examiner, Irish Times, Irish Independent, Star and Irish Mirror. Peter MacMenamin also appeared on RTE's 9 o' clock television news
 

Reforms are off the table, says union - Irish Examiner 9/12/09

Audit finds schools are using restrictive admissions policies - Irish Times 8/12/09
Fee paying schools less likely to cater for special needs - Irish Times 8/12/09

Industrial action now inevitable, union warns - Irish Times 5/12/09
Teacher unions say state lacked courage - Irish Examiner 5/12/09
Threats of more strikes as 'partnership is dead' - Irish Independent 5/12/09

Peter MacMenamin interviewed on current discussions on  RTE television's One News and on TV3's 5.30 bulletin 2/12/09

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin on Radio 1's Morning Ireland speaking on decision to defer strike and current talks with Government 2/12/09

Concern over possible cap on third level student numbers - Irish Times 1/12/09
Union President Don Ryan also outlined union's concerns on 4FM's Lunchtime on 4 programme 

Picketing TUI members were interviewed on Radio 1's Morning Ireland on 24/11/09. TUI members also featured on RTE 1's 6 and 9 o' clock news bulletins, along with an interview with TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin. TV3 interviewed TUI Assistant General Secretary John O' Reilly.
TUI picketers and comment also featured in Irish Examiner, Irish Times and Irish Independent on 25/11/09.

Teachers vote by huge majority to join public sector strike - Irish Times (14/11/09)
Parents face chaos in school closure - Irish Examiner (14/11/09)
800,000 pupils face discuption if teachers walk out - Irish Independent (14/11/09)
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin appeared on RTE 1's 6 o' clock and 9 o' clock news bulletins and on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime and Today FM's Last Word programmes. Union president Don Ryan spoke on Tom McGurk's programme on 4FM.

Statement on importance of appropriate funding at third level covered by Newstalk and Irish Star (12/11/09)

RTE Radio 1's This Week programme (8/11/09)
Reporter Jonathon Clynch talks to teachers before and during ICTU protest.

This is a class war, workers unite to tell the government - Irish Independent (7/11/09)

Ahead of protest, TUI General Secretary discusses hardship being experienced by part-time teachers on 4FM's lunchtime show (6/11/09)

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin speaks to RTE Radio 1's Drivetime programme about the union's policy on changes to the Junior Certificate programme. Click here to download programme (2/11/09)
The union's policy was also covered in the Irish Examiner and Irish Mirror and TUI representatives were interviewed on Q102 and 4FM.
Teacher union chief warns against proposal to end Junior Cert - BreakingNews.ie

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin interviewed about partnership talks on RTE Radio 1's News at One (21/10/09)

Education=Health
TUI President Don Ryan argues that policymakers unimpressed by the educational and social arguments against cutbacks to education cannot ignore the compelling correlation between education and living longer - Irish Times Health supplement (20/10/09)

Aptitude tests for entry to university criticised - Irish Independent (19/10/09)
Test for entry to medicine degree is barrier for poor - Irish Examiner (19/10/09)

Student numbers to rise by 30% over 20 years - Irish Times (17/10/09)
Rate of school 'drop out to soar if funds denied' - Irish Examiner (17/10/09)
Schools face drop-out crisis threat - Irish Independent (17/10/09)
TUI warns against education cuts - RTE
TUI: Investment vital to cope with rising student numbers - breakingnews.ie
Conference was also featured in Sunday Times, Sunday Tribune and RTE, Today FM, Newstalk and all major regional radio news bulletins.

Teachers welcome education measures - Irish Times (12/10/09)

Teacher unions call for full reveral of cutbacks - Sunday Business Post (11/10/09)

Further cuts likely to trigger industrial action by TUI - Irish Examiner (10/10/09)
Teachers to vote on action against cuts - Irish Independent (10/10/09)
Three teacher unions to hold ballot for strikes - Irish Times (10/10/09)


Minister to pay for classroom laptops with building funds - Irish Independent (9/10/09)

TUI President Don Ryan speaks of his 'astonishment' at the Department of Education and Science's captial budget surplus on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime (8/10/09) Click here to listen

CSO lowers public versus private pay gap - Irish Examiner (2/10/09)

TUI Assistant General Secretary John MacGabhann spoke on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime programme about current TUI directives  (29/9/09) Click here to listen

Teachers angry over department workload figures - Irish Times (29/9/09)

O Keeffe: I got my sums wrong on teaching cuts - Irish Independent (19/9/09)

Irish spend on education lowest in EU - Irish Independent (9/9/09)
Junior Cert students urged to stay in education - Irish Examiner (9/9/09)
Education spending worse than suggested - Irish Examiner (9/9/09)
Irish classes among largest in Europe - Irish Times (9/9/09)

Nearly 30,000 do not get place on Post-Leaving Cert courses - Irish Times (3/9/09)
School-leavers, jobless lead scrambe for courses - Irish Independent (3/9/09)
Two thirds disappointed after cap on PLC courses - Irish Examiner (3/9/09)
TUI President Don Ryan appeared on RTE's television news in relation to PLC numbers.

Cuts widen the gap between rich and poor - Irish Independent (2/9/09)
Opinion editorial by TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin

Anger at cut in language teachers - Irish Independent (1/9/09)

TUI representatives featured on RTE radio news, the Pat Kenny Show, the Last Word, Today FM, Newstalk, 4fm, RTE and TV3 TV and regional news bulletins clarifying the union's class size directive to members. This long standing directive is crucial in maintaining educational quality and is also vital in ensuring health and safety in the classroom. (28/8/09)

Students set to suffer due to cutbacks - Irish Examiner (27/8/09)
School principals face difficulties due to cutbacks - Irish Times (27/8/09)
School book bills continue to put extreme pressure on families - Irish Examiner (27/8/09)
Students facing loss of key subjects - Irish Independent (27/8/09)
The TUI/PDA position also featured in the Daily Star, Daily Mail and on RTE, Today FM, Newstalk and various regional news broadcasts.

Costly return to schoolrooms - Irish Independent (26/8/09)
O' Keeffe rounds on teachers in book grant row - Irish Independent (26/8/09)

Teachers urged to help cut cost of school textbooks - Irish Times (25/8/09)

Colleges facing chaos as axe hangs over 750 posts - Irish Independent (21/8/09)

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin on RTE News re: possibility of return of college fees (20/8/09)

Almost 47,000 applicants ordered a college place - Irish Examiner (17/8/09)
Science steps out of the shadows - Irish Times CAO supplement (17/8/09)

 
End of 'grade inflation' as fewer students get top marks - Irish Independent (12/8/09)
Students urged into technology - Irish Times Leaving cert supplement (12/8/09)
Sharp rise in teachers applying for retirement - Irish Times (12/8/09)

Department manages to make a bad siutation look even worse - Irish Times (8/8/09)
TUI accused of being 'alarmist' over teacher losses - Irish Times (8/8/09)
War of words deepens over new loss of teaching posts - Irish Examiner (8/8/09)
O' Keeffe angry at teacher cut claims by TUI - Irish Independent (8/8/09)

Thousands of teachers face axe as cuts bite - Irish Independent (7/8/09)
Over 3,500 teachers to lose posts, claims TUI - Irish Times (7/8/09)
Teachers say O' Keeffe's predictions on effects of cutbacks unrealistic - Irish Examiner (7/8/09)
Schoolyard battle brews as first day of term looms - Irish Independent (7/8/09)

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin on RTE Radio 1's Morning Ireland on the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on Institute of Technology lecturing hours.
(30/7/09) 

Proposed cuts criticised by TUI - Irish Times (22/7/09)
Statement also covered in Irish Examiner, Irish Mirror and Evening Echo.

Plan for new DIT site in Tallaght shot down by TUI - Irish Independent (18/7/09)
Teachers, Lowry condemn proposals for Institutes - Irish Times (18/7/09)
Schools should not be shut down just to save money - Irish Examiner (18/7/09)


Unions say cuts are a 'social timebomb' - Irish Times (17/7/08)
Outcry as teacher unions threaten to strike over 'unacceptable' proposals - Irish Independent (17/7/09)

ICTU: 15% wage cut call 'nonsense' - Irish Examiner (10/7/09)
Children are being made 'scapegoats of economic downturn' - Irish Independent (10/7/09)
'Nonsense' to link wage cuts with national competitiveness - Irish Times (10/7/09)

Cut to stay in school programme - RTE Six One News (24/6/09)
Alternative Leaving Cert hit by cutbacks - Irish Independent (25/6/09)

Study: Poor rate of training for secondary teachers - Irish Examiner (17/6/09)
Irish pupils bottom of the class for school punctuality - Irish Independent (17/6/09)
Drugs and alcohol causing problems at school, says report - Irish Times (17/6/09)

Union Post Magazine May 2009 - featuring article (p.22) written by TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin on stimulating economic recovery through education.

TUI received extensive coverage across all national media during Congress week. Full details are available on request from TUI head office.

TUI wants boost for apprenticeship system - Irish Times (14/4/09)
Disastrous slump in apprenticeships is forecast - Irish Independent (14/4/09)
TUI also featured on RTE's Six One News and various national radio news bulletins throughout the day.

Cutbacks 'will lead to classroom chaos' - Irish Independent (13/4/09)
Teachers 'work 47-hour week' - Irish Times (13/4/09)
Worrying trend in school absenteeism shown in report - Irish Times (13/4/09)
Teachers spend 25 hours on extra activities - Irish Examiner (13/4/09)
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin previewed the conference's main issues on RTE's Six One News.
TUI President Don Ryan spoke about the effects the education cutbacks will have on RTE Radio 1's News at One programme.

TUI railing against cutbacks - Sunday Business Post (12/4/09)
Teachers will be forced to teach without books - Sunday Business Post (12/4/09)

School drop-out rate costs €100m per year, says TUI - Irish Times (11/4/09)
Early school leavers cost €4b - Irish Examiner (11/4/09)
Parents face €250 bill with axing of book grant - Irish Independnet (11/4/09)
Peter MacMenamin appeared on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime (10/4/09) discussing the huge economic cost of student drop-out

Teacher redundancies make no sense - TUI - RTE News (6/4/09)

Third level fees decision to come after Budget - Irish Examiner (4/4/09)

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin outlines reasons behind withdrawal of some activities by TUI members (RTE Radio 1 News at One 30/3/09)

Teachers begin work-to-rule action in levy protest - Irish Examiner (21/3/09)
Teacher unions to boycott meetings in levy protest - Irish Times (21/3/09)
Teacher unions in work to rule protests - Irish Independent (21/3/09)

Teachers to join one-day work stoppage - Irish Times (14/3/09)

Unions to meet on possible strike action - Irish Independent (9/3/09)
Teacher unions claim talks can avert strikes - Irish Examiner (9/3/09)

60,000 teachers vote for industiral action
Teachers vote for industrial action - Irish Times (7/3/09)
Teachers vote in favour of work stoppage - Irish Independent (7/3/09)
Industrial action likely as teachers show anger - Irish Examiner (7/3/09)

Unions reject O' Keeffe's job loss numbers - Irish Examiner (26/2/09)

O' Keeffe says education job losses to be less than 400 - Irish Examiner (24/2/09)

Restart talks or face strikes, Government told - Irish Independent (23/2/09)

Levy means teachers make 25% levy contribution- TUI (19/2/09)
ICTU set to discuss ballot on strikes - Irish Times (19/2/09)

'Teachers will pay 27% of salary to pension - TUI' - IrishTimes.com (19/2/09)

Teachers' unions in levy talks - Irish Times (17/2/09)
Teacher unions warn of industrial action - Irish Examiner (17/2/09)

Teachers unions meet over opposition to levy - Irish Times (16/2/09)
Teaching unions meet to discuss response to pay levy - Breakingnews.ie (16/2/09)

TUI to ballot members for industrial action (13/2/09)
Furious teachers to vote on industrial action - Irish Independent (14/2/09)
Teachers' unions to ballot for industrial action over levy - Irish Times (13/2/09)
President Don Ryan was also interviewed on INN news bulletins on this issue


Pension levy: 50,000 teachers to decide on plan of action next week - Irish Times (11/2/09)

TUI pull out of school checks - Irish Examiner (9/2/09)

Non-teaching/lecturing duties must now be scrapped - TUI (6/2/09)
TUI to withdraw co-operation and CPSU considers action - Irish Times (7/2/09)
Pension row teachers plan work-to-rule as anger builds - Irish Independent (7/2/09)
Union tells teachers to focus 'on core activities' - Irish Examiner (7/2/09)
Peter MacMenamin was also interviewed on various radio news bulletins and on Newstalk 106's Saturday Edition news review show.

TUI Meets to discuss response to pension levy - Irish Independent (6/2/09)

TUI Press Conference on education kick-starting economic recovery (5/2/09)
Teachers vent fury as FAS gets all 51,000 training slots - Irish Independent (6/2/09)
Teacher union dismay as training places go to FAS - Irish Examiner (6/2/09)
Teacher union critical of leading FAS role in education - Irish Times (6/2/09)
TUI President Don Ryan was interviewed on RTE's Drivetime
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin was interviewed on Today FM's The Last Word and INN, Today FM and 98FM news bulletins
 

Angry teachers threaten action - Irish Times (5/2/09)

Schools face drastic cuts - Sunday Business Post (25/1/09)
Transition year grants withdrawal will create ‘ghettoised’ schooling, say teachers - Sunday Business Post (25/1/09)

Lack of funds blamed for axing school leavers survey -  Irish Examiner (22/1/09)
TUI President Don Ryan was also interviewed on this subject for RTE Radio 1's Drivetime (22/1/09)

State aid to stay for fee-paying schools - Irish Times (20/1/09)
Fee paying schools got €100m subsidy from State last year - Irish Times (20/1/09)

Teachers brands pay and pension cuts 'unacceptable' - Irish Independent (20/1/09)

Teacher unions to oppose cuts in salaries - Irish Times (15/1/09)

TUI responds to Minister's comments regarding school information  (7/1/09)
Minister accused of u-turn on exam league tables - Irish Independent (8/1/09)
Minister wants schools to give parents more information - Irish Examiner (8/1/09)

2008

Anger on streets during biggest public rally since Iraq war - Irish Independent 8/12/08
Parents show solidarity in face of budget cuts - Irish Times 8/12/08 
Over 40,000 express Furey over education cuts - Sunday Tribune 7/12/08
Streets fill with anger at education cutbacks - Sunday Independent 7/12/08

TUI responds to substitution announcement (4/12/08)
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin interview on on RTE Six One and Nine News 4/12/08
Substitution deal ends threat of disruption in secondary schools - Irish Times 5/12/08
O' Keeffe in partial climbdown over substitute teachers' pay - Irish Independent 5/12/08
Teachers' union welcomes O' Keeffe budget u-turn - Irish Examiner 5/12/08

RTE Questions and Answers discussion on cutbacks featuring TUI President Don Ryan and Assistant General Secretary Declan Glynn - 1/12/08

Minister attempts to defend the indefensible (20/11/08)
O' Keeffe claim on teachers' sick leave angers unions - Irish Times 21/11/08
O' Keeffe accuses teachers of 'scaremongering' tactics - Irish Independent 21/11/08


Cutback revelation to throw Further Education sector into chaos (12/11/08) 
Post Leaving-Cert courses hit - Irish Independent 13/11/08
Pupil-teacher ratio to rise in post-Leaving courses - Irish Times 13/11/08
Teachers' union furious at hidden education cut - Irish Examiner 13/11/08
TUI claims additional education cutbacks - RTE

TUI asks Minister to reverse most savage cuts (11/11/08)
Education campaign to intensify, says TUI - Irish Times 12/11/08

Concerned third level coalition unite against cuts (9/11/08)
Cuts target those 'who can least afford them' - Irish Independent 10/11/08

Vicious cuts in education must be reversed
Irish Times opinion editorial (5/11/08) by TUI President Don Ryan

Speech from Don Ryan at Dáil Protest against Education Cuts (29/10/08)
Managers warn of major disruption in schools next year - Irish Times 30/10/08
Class action on cuts - Irish Examiner 30/10/08
O' Keeffe's scare claim enrages teachers - Irish Independent 30/10/08

Education Cuts to cost Families thousands (28/10/08)  
Education cuts mean 'average family must find €2,000' - Irish Independent 29/10/08

Student Drop-Out Numbers to Soar (27/10/08)
Cuts imply loss of 1,000 teachers, says INTO - Irish Times 28/10/08

Teachers and Parents United Against Cuts (23/10/08)
Schools blast education cuts as 'immoral and offensive' - Irish Independent 24/10/08
Cutbacks immoral, say primary school managers - Irish Examiner 24/10/08

 

Taxpayers Continue to Subsidise Fee Paying Schools (22/10/08)
Funding for fee paying schools can be cut, says TUI chief - Irish Independent 23/10/08
Union: End private school subsidies to avoid staff cuts - Irish Examiner 23/10/08
Schools may close from January due to substitute cuts - Irish Times 23/10/08
Teachers dismiss O' Keeffe's appeal on class size - Irish Independent 23/10/08

Logistical Nightmare ahead for School Management(21 Oct 2008)
Schools enlist help of parents to counter cuts - Irish Independent 22/10/08
Pressure mounts for education cuts U-turn - Irish Examiner 22/10/08

Targeting the little ones - Irish Times editorial 21/10/08
"The Teachers' Union of Ireland has accused the education minister of 'asset-stripping' the education service." 

TUI Case Studies Show How Cuts Will Devastate Schools  (19 Oct 2008)
TUI Warns budget cuts will 'asset-strip' education           - Irish Times 20/10/08
More than 1,200 school jobs will go, says union        - Irish Independent 20/10/08
Teacher unions and parent groups to fight budget cuts   - Irish Examiner 20/10/08
Teacher Union Challenges Govt Over Budget  - RTE Six One News  

TUI Vows To Fight Second Level Staff Cuts  (16 Oct 2008)
O' Keeffe Accused of targeting the most vulnerable - Irish Times 17/10/08
Grant cutbacks: Shame on you minister, say principals - Irish Examiner 17/10/08

TUI Demands Continuation of Early Retirement Scheme  (15 Oct 2008)
Teaching cuts 'will result in pupils being sent home' - Irish Independent 16/10/08

Initial TUI Reaction to Budget  (14 Oct 2008)
Student registration fee will increase to €1,500 from next September - Irish Times 15/10/08
Class Sizes U-Turn Slammed - Irish Examiner 15/10/08

Budget Must Prioritise Education(13 Oct 2008)
TUI Urge School Levy On Multinationals - Irish Independent 14/10/08

60,000 March Against Education Cuts

60,000 pupils, parents and teachers marched in Dublin City on Satuday Demember 6th in the Schools United national protest against the education cutbacks. TUI thanks all members of the school community who protested against the most savage cutbacks in recent memory.

TUI President Don Ryan's address   6/12/08
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin's address 6/12/08 

TUI Summary of Main Budget Cutbacks

Letter to Branches re: Dáil Protest against Education Cuts, Wednesday 29/10/08

Letter to Branches re: Education Cuts, 21/10/08

TUI is encouraging all members to lobby their local TDs, emphasising the devastating effect the cutbacks will have on schools and colleges in their community.
E-mail addresses of Dáil members 

A TEACHERS’ UNION has warned that proposals to reform the Junior Certificate exam structure could result in major damage to the Irish education system.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland believes the plans to reform the exams – which would include limiting students to 8 exam subjects – could be “disastrous” if the new changes are mistimed. (click link above to read remainder)

The Department of Education said it had no comment to make on weekend reports that as many as 2,000 teaching jobs may be cut as part of the Government’s austerity programme.

“We cannot comment on speculation. The Cabinet has yet to finish considering the department’s submission under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure.”

The report claimed discussions between Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn and Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin had focused on reducing the overall number of teachers from 57,000 to 55,000.

One of the main teaching unions, the TUI, yesterday warned that such severe cuts in teaching numbers would have severe repercussions.

TUI deputy general secretary Annette Dolan said: “An increase of the pupil teacher ratio at second level does not mean one or two more students in a classroom – it means less teachers in a school.

“A revision upwards of one point in the ratio to 20:1 would result in one less teacher or 33 less class periods per week in a small- to medium-sized school,” she said.

The Department of Education is expected, however, to maintain the level of its capital programme, as shovel-ready school-building projects were identified as priorities under the Government’s job initiative.

Yesterday Mr Quinn said 14 new schools were built so far this year under his department’s Rapid Programme.

“These schools serve rapidly developing areas, where either there was no existing school or where existing provision was unable to meet the demand,” he said.




Annette Dolan interviewed on RTE radio, TG4, Today FM, Newstalk and various local stations on devastating potential effects of further increase in PTR 6/11/11