Quinn ‘back of the class material’, say students

Between 800 and 1,000 people marched from O’Connell Street to Leinster House yesterday, protesting against plans to scrap allowances for newly qualified teachers which will see them earning 30% less than the starting rate from 18 months ago.

The proposals have been criticised as potentially creating segregation in staff rooms.

Bianca Ní Ghrogain, student union president at Dublin’s Froebel College of Education, said that once she graduates this year, she would be expected to earn between €25,000 and €27,000, while her peers would be on wages which started at €32,000-plus or €37,000 by dint of having qualified some years before her.