Teachers critical of retirement age change

THE majority of teachers will now have to spend more than 40 years in over-crowded classrooms because of changes to the retirement age in the budget, unions claimed last night.

Teachers were also critical of the Government's failure to address the basic requirements of children with special needs.

Despite allocating an extra 30 million to school building programmes and improving grants to help schools meet their day-to-day running costs, Budget 2004 was given a lukewarm welcome. Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland president Pat Cahill said legislation such as the imminent Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill emphasises an inclusive approach to education which provides for children with special educational needs.