Primary teachers face up to more cuts

MORE schools programmes must be cut or reduced if increases in class sizes are to be avoided, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has told primary teachers.

Despite praising them for being one of the first public service unions signed up to the Croke Park agreement last year, the minister told the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) members he wants to start talks with their leaders within weeks on ways to find further savings.

Under the four-year national recovery plan, such savings must be identified to counteract the increased teacher requirements to match rising pupil numbers, or else school staffing levels will have to be reduced next year like they were in 2009.