Principals accuse Tánaiste of insulting them over vacant posts

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan was accused of insulting principals last night after telling them they were lucky their jobs will continue to be filled when they retire while other management posts are left vacant.

The Education Minister told a conference of second-level principals and board chairpersons that she will soon announce details of how they will be allowed to fill some middle management posts left vacant up to a year because of a public service promotions ban.

But she drew jeers from delegates at the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) gathering after pointing out that Government had prioritised schools spending by allowing the automatic filling of principal and deputy principal posts despite the moratorium which took effect in March 2009.