Quinn warns teachers over redundancy risks again

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has repeated the possibility of secondary school teachers being made redundant if their union rejects the Haddington Road Agreement for a second time.

The warning was previously issued by Mr Quinn in the Dáil after the first Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti) vote on the deal in September. However, as its 16,000 members prepare to ballot again, with leadership recommending another no vote, he said the simple way to avoid a risk of redundancies was to sign up to the HRA.

“They chose to take a decision that took them out of the system of protection that was Croke Park and that has consequently put them at risk,” said Mr Quinn. “To avoid that situation, the very simple answer is to vote yes.”