The Teacher's Union of Ireland said classroom safety is being greatly compromised because many year head positions aren't being filled.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has defended the practice within his department of re-hiring retired teachers, saying he has temporarily rehired around 300 retired teachers following demand from schools.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell has said he will not intervene to prevent a single mother in hospital and her five children from being deported to Nigeria.

AS thousands of successful Leaving Cert students weighed up their job and college prospects yesterday, one teenager was facing an uncertain future.