Reforms are off the table, says union

THE Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has rejected Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe’s suggestion that public service reforms which were close to being agreed last week could form the basis of further negotiations with unions next year.

The minister told the Irish Examiner on Monday that he expected the proposals, which had included an extra hour’s work for supervision and other school duties from 60,000 school teachers, to remain on the table despite the pay talks collapsing last Friday. Other aspects agreed in principle included a review of teachers’ contracts and additional work for third-level lecturers.

But TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said elements of a possible agreement last week were only on the table as part of a wider deal that did not involve imposing direct pay cuts for his 15,000 members.