Talks possible between Quinn and secondary school teachers

The possibility of talks between Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and secondary school teachers has been opened but parents still face disruption from ongoing industrial action next week.

The minister said he is willing to have discussions about education issues of concern to the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI). Its members will force many schools to close early for parent-teacher meetings from next week due to the union ban on after-school attendance. But the time needed to establish the issues for discussion means no formal talks will begin until after the mid-term break.

“I’ve made it very clear... that I can talk to [the ASTI] about education matters. I can’t talk to them about the terms and conditions of the Haddington Road Agreement,” said Mr Quinn.

ASTI general secretary Pat King welcomed his willingness to hear their concerns over the impact of staffing and other cuts.

“Members of the ASTI voted against what was indeed a better pay deal than we now have. What we want to do is address some aspects of the Haddington Road Agreement which won’t cost the State anything and other issues that are hugely important for education and we believe a settlement is possible,” he said.

However, the union’s standing committee did not decide to lift or revise the directives in place since Oct 2 after members voted against the deal last month. ASTI members are also banned from attending training for the new junior cycle, which begins for principals next week.

The ASTI did not elaborate on the details it wants reexamined, but the Teachers’ Union of Ireland called for talks on making better use of the 33 extra hours a year teachers are committed to working under the deal. Having narrowly accepted Haddington Road, TUI members must continue doing the hour a week under the previous Croke Park agreement.

TUI president Gerard Craughwell said there is growing frustration that the hours could be used to the greater benefit of students instead of being assigned to bureaucratic work. He said both second-level unions were at pains to impress this on the department in talks that led to the HRA last May.

The National Parents’ Council -Post Primary called for a speedy resolution as school closures loom, adding to the concerns raised by second-level principals at their conference this week.

“We’re indirectly involved because of parent-teacher meetings being moved into school time. It’s not going to suit parents that are working; they might not be able to make those,” said NPC-PP president Don Myers. “I know one parents’ association who can’t meet in the school next week because the principal won’t be able to come in and open the school for them.”