Tánaiste met with anger but escapes intact

THE Tánaiste arrived into a dragon’s den of more than 700 angry primary teachers first thing yesterday but managed to escape without swords being drawn.

The Garda escort she received into the packed hall in the Galway hotel proved unnecessary, although Mary Coughlan could have been forgiven if she had a sense of foreboding as she rose to her feet.

The appearance of around 100 placards slating Government policies on public service pay and bailing out the banks, failed to faze the new Minister for Education and Skills, however, as she proceeded through a 25-minute speech which did little to appease the anger of union activists.