Supervision roadshow a success, says Dempsey

EDUCATION Minister Noel Dempsey has said his roadshow to win the support of ASTI members for the Government’s supervision and substitution scheme was a success.

Despite attracting just 700 teachers on his eight-venue tour, Mr Dempsey said the exercise was worthwhile.

The minister visited eight venues, concluding in Kilkenny on Thursday night, with some meetings attracting up to 200 teachers but less than 50 at others.

“It is up to the teachers themselves now but I would urge them to vote Yes,” Mr Dempsey said.

A mix of teachers who support or oppose the details of the supervision scheme, already being operated by the two other teacher unions, turned up for the meetings.

The result of the secondary teachers union ballot on the issue, beginning next week, is expected by March 15. Their central executive has recommended rejection of the deal, worth 1,400 a year for up to 37 hours of the work done in their schools by outside staff since last March.

The ASTI backed the scheme in a vote last November, in which a little over half the 17,000 member took part. But the leadership called a second ballot because of differences over its operation.

The union’s 56 branches are meeting to hold votes between Monday and March 13, and interest is expected to be somewhat higher this time around.

ASTI general secretary Charlie Lennon said it is very difficult to judge how many members will vote or what the outcome will be.

“A lot of schools have been on mid-term break, so we don’t have much feedback ,” he said. Mr Dempsey made clear he will take the result as the ASTI’s last word on the issue.