Teachers union welcomes O’Keeffe budget U-turn

THE decision of Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe to reverse a budgetary decision to suspend from January substitution cover for uncertified sick leave in all schools and for official school business in post-primary schools has been guardedly welcomed by the Teachers Union of Ireland.

The Dáil was told that proposals had been made by second-level management bodies identifying annual savings of €16 million on substitution costs in the current year.

The proposals involve replacing demand-led availability of cover for uncertified sick leave and official school business, costing €21m per annum, with an allocated or budgeted scheme costing €5m per annum.