Quinn invites unions to talks on junior cycle reform plans

Failure to address teachers’ concerns over his junior cycle reform plans has prompted Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to invite unions to talks aimed at breaking the deadlock.

He will chair discussions which he wants to begin next month after the end of the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams which begin next Wednesday.

The move follows the poor progress made on the key question of who should assess students for the Junior Cycle Student Award by a working group he set up in January.