Teaching in unsafe labs a ‘legal risk’

TEACHERS and schools face a higher risk of being sued if the new Junior Certificate science course is taught in unsafe labs, a legal expert warned last night.

Barrister Oliver Mahon, who specialises in education law, said science labs are among the most common parts of a school where injuries to students lead to legal action.

His comments were made as relations between the Department of Education and secondary teachers’ union ASTI worsened over an order to their members not to teach a new syllabus for Junior Certificate science. ASTI leaders insist the matter is a health and safety issue, because most school labs are not properly equipped for the dozens of experiments children must conduct. But Education Minister Noel Dempsey interprets it as industrial action and has warned that pay rises for members could be at risk if the leadership directive is not withdrawn.