Support staff urge acceptance for deal

As teaching delegates at all levels vent their anger at the Croke Park II deal, a union representative for 10,000 non-teaching staff in the sector has called for the deal to be accepted.

Gina O’Brien, chairwoman of the Impact trade union’s education division, said the members she represents face compulsory redundancies and pay cuts if the public sector workers reject the proposals produced by the Labour Relations Commission.

Impact’s education division represents special needs assistants (SNAs), school secretaries, clerical and administrative staff in VECs and institutes of technology, and staff of the National Education Welfare Board and school completion programmes. It is the largest representative body for non-teaching staff in the sector.