Minister insists that unions make concessions

There is no resolution to the teachers’ dispute in sight as Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan insists unions make concessions on assessment before talks on junior cycle reform can resume.

As 27,000 teachers picketed the country’s 720 second-level schools, pressure continued to mount on the unions, whose leaders may decide next week on a date in January for a second one-day strike.

With anger from parents that 340,000 students were forced to stay home by the strike, Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti) president Philip Irwin said it might be helpful if the minister were to come up with the kind of resources needed to allow schools implement the changes.