New government faces wave of school and college strikes

The incoming government faces industrial unrest in schools and colleges with the threat of one-day strikes in half of second-level schools in the autumn.

Unavailable to negotiate as she expects to be replaced soon, Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) is unjustified in undermining junior cycle reforms already supported and introduced by other teachers.

She was responding to the union’s standing committee decision to call a series of one-day strikes in September if the dispute is unresolved.