Stand-off looms between Government and 17,000 second-level teachers

A stand-off between the Government and 17,000 teachers could be looming as Budget 2014 is based on acceptance of the latest public service pay deal.

A planned €236m reduction to next year’s education budget relies largely on savings from the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA), Education Minister Ruairi Quinn conceded yesterday.

But his non-capital budget of €8.2bn for 2014 assumes the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) will be fully on board.