Teachers claim substitute measures will cost state more

PRIMARY school managers have warned that cuts in teacher substitution will result in greater cost for the Government instead of savings, despite an invitation from Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe to talks aimed at resolving the issue.

Their statement was made as up to 60,000 people took to the streets of Dublin on Saturday to protest against the substitution measures and other education cutbacks in the 2009 budget.

The crowds marched through the city centre to Merrion Square, where leaders of the four teacher unions were among those to address the crowds in relation to staffing changes which will increase class sizes and, at second level, restrict subject choices.