A fully taxpayer-funded third-level system should be urgently decided on by the Government, thousands of students insisted at a national protest.

Unions and management bodies need to come together to discuss the fragmentation of special needs assistant (SNA) posts, according to the Education Minister.

As teaching delegates at all levels vent their anger at the Croke Park II deal, a union representative for 10,000 non-teaching staff in the sector has called for the deal to be accepted.