Heckles and jeers for Bruton but he takes it all on the chin at the ASTI conference

It was like early morning school assembly, with a group of unruly pupils hellbent on giving the school principal a hard time.

And so it was that Education Minister Richard Bruton had a taste of what can go on in the classroom as rumbustious ASTI delegates heckled and jeered throughout his speech.

In Cork to address the annual convention of the union representing secondary school teachers, Mr Bruton had to pause for water while those sitting at the top table repeatedly called for “order in the hall”.