O’Keeffe says education job losses to be less than 400

THE number of teaching jobs which will be lost because of budget cuts will be less than the 400 originally expected, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe predicted yesterday.

He made the claim as he urged 60,000 teachers not to vote for industrial action as their unions begin a national ballet over the coming days.

The decision in last October’s budget to change staffing levels in primary and second-level schools has led to an unresolved dispute between the minister and the unions over the number of teaching posts which will be cut as a result.