A tax settlement of almost €11m is expected to be made by the State Examinations Commission next year as a result of an audit of expenses paid to contract staff.

The head of the body representing second-level students’ parents says teacher unions should talk to them before planning a second strike over reforms to the junior cycle.

One of the Kinsale schoolgirls recently listed by Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential teenagers has called for an overhaul of the examination system.

Teacher unions will keep 340,000 students at home from second-level schools next month without balloting their members on junior cycle reform plans that are significantly different to the ones they agreed to strike against.

Students can be assessed by their own teachers in a replacement of the Junior Certificate in a way that is fair and leads to improved learning, the country’s chief schools inspector says.

The State Examinations Commission has received 118,673 entries for this year’s exams, including just under 55,000 students who are set to begin the Leaving Certificate this morning.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn is facing further pressure on his plans to replace the Junior Certificate with a school-marked system after Fine Gael members voted to seek changes.

Third-level leaders have given assurances that the standards of students taking up teacher training courses remain high.

There was mixed news for the Haddington Road deal yesterday, with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation recommending that it be accepted, and the union representing low- paid civil servants saying it should be rejected.

The country’s largest teachers’ union has recommended that members accept revised Croke Park pay proposals on the basis that they represent an improvement on the alternative.

Teacher unions will be asked to separate talks early next week after their ballots on industrial action finish, Labour Relations Commission chief Kieran Mulvey has said.

Professional bodies representing principals and deputy principals are to consider alternative representation because they do not believe their trade unions did enough to protect their members’ interests in the Croke Park II discussions.

THE Government may be able to lift the threat of further pay cuts, if unions representing public servants agree to reforms, but there will be no reversal of cuts already made, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe said yesterday.