ASTI industrial action hits parents and students

Only informal talks have been taking place between the Department of Education and a teachers’ union whose members are disrupting parents and students at 500 second-level schools.

The industrial action by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland has caused parent-teacher meetings to be held in school hours and also means they are banned from attending training on changes from next year to junior cycle English.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said last month that he hoped talks might take place after the mid-term break between his officials and the ASTI about education issues of concern to them, but he could not renegotiate the Haddington Road Agreement, which was rejected by the union.