Dempsey ‘acting like dictator’

EDUCATION Minister Noel Dempsey is acting like a dictator in his treatment of teacher unions, the Labour Party said yesterday.

Jan O’Sullivan, the party’s education spokesperson, said it was unacceptable that the minister has rejected the invites of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) to address their conferences next month.

The two second-level unions had rejected Mr Dempsey’s request to hold discussions with delegates about the future of the education system during their annual meetings. The minister had described as dated the format of him delivering a speech and being responded to by union leaders.