College teachers in row over bid to move staff

Teachers at one of the country’s biggest further education colleges are in dispute over efforts to move some staff to other colleges.

Eight teachers at Ballyfermot College of Further Education have been told they are surplus to requirements because of falling enrolments and the Government’s increase in pupil-teacher ratios in the post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) sector. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has initiated the grievance procedure, claiming that City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) did not follow long-standing agreements on teacher transfers.

But three teachers got letters from CDETB chief executive Jacinta Stewart yesterday telling them to move to their assigned colleges pending the outcome.