Students face further disruption

MORE than 250,000 students face definite disruption for a third consecutive year as Education Minister Noel Dempsey refused to meet the secondary teachers' union for pay talks yesterday.

A short-term breakthrough in the ASTI's long-running pay dispute was effectively ruled out as Minister Dempsey insisted he wouldn't discuss any claims outside the benchmarking process for public service pay.

Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland vice-president Pat Cahill had called for talks on his union's pay demand.