Teachers condemn Dempsey’s use of the media

Education Correspondent

THE head of the largest secondary teachers union last night accused Education Minister Noel Dempsey of briefing the media on his strategy about their objection to a new science course before telling them.

The Department of Education told the Irish Examiner on Monday that officials were examining the ASTI directive not to teach the new Junior Certificate science syllabus with regard to the implementation of the social partnership agreement. The acceptance of Sustaining Progress by public servants, including teachers, was a condition of them receiving pay increases under the benchmarking process.

However, Mr Dempsey only wrote to ASTI on Tuesday, reminding them of the terms of pay increases outlined in the agreement.

ASTI president Pat Cahill said it was not acceptable that the minister should allow his intentions be reported in newspapers before he told the union.

“The minister has absolutely no courtesy, he is taking a very cavalier attitude. That’s no way of doing business if he wants to get teachers on board,” he said. “We have agreed modernisation practices to meet the conditions of Sustaining Progress. We’re not looking for extra money, we’re not going to strike, we’re not refusing to teach science.”

He said Mr Dempsey had shown similar discourtesy when he announced his plans for the Laffoy Commission on radio earlier this week.

The minister has denied that the commission only heard about his plans in the media, and his spokesperson last night rejected the ASTI’s claims.

“Department officials were examining the matter on Monday, but it was on foot of discussions with them on Tuesday morning that the minister decided to write to ASTI,” she said. “The letter was issued that day and I don’t think they can describe it as cavalier.”

Mr Dempsey wrote that the payment of benchmarking increases depends on absence of industrial action over matters covered by Sustaining Progress.

He described the ASTI directive as such an action and said he would be referring the matter to the Labour Relations Commission if their directive is not withdrawn.

The much-divided standing committee of the union, which issued the directive, will discuss the minister’s letter at an emergency meeting tomorrow but it is unclear whether they will accede to Mr Dempsey’s request. They consider it to be a health and safety issue and do not accept the minister’s interpretation of their action as an industrial action.

The Teachers Union of Ireland is expected to meet Mr Dempsey next week, when they will demand to know when schools will be upgraded to enable them teach the new course.

“It’s just not an option for those schools which have either no equipment or insufficient labs to do all the experiments involved,” said TUI president Derek Dunne last night.`