‘Court costs would have paid for 110 teachers’

MILLIONS of euro spent by the Department of Education contesting court cases relating to services for special needs children could have employed more than 100 new teachers, it was claimed yesterday.

The Irish National teachers Organisation (INTO) said almost €10 million was spent on legal fees and settlements in 2003 and 2004. This could have paid for an extra 110 special needs teachers each year.

John Carr of the INTO said such a move would have made "a substantial difference."