Teacher in maternity row to get €10,000

A SCHOOL which refused to allow a teacher cancel her application for a career break when she discovered she was pregnant has been ordered to pay her €10,000.

Colleen Harrington, a teacher at Scoil Chríost Rí in Limerick since 1993, applied for a career break in May 2002 and her application was approved by the school. However, on discovering she was pregnant in July 2002, she sought to withdraw her application.

Ms Harrington claims she wrote to the Board of Management outlining her request and proposing to take unpaid leave from the beginning of the school year up to the start of maternity leave. She said this would make it easier for the school to find a temporary replacement for the school year and minimise the disruption to her class.