Teachers dispute continues

The Government's plan to proceed with the state exams with or without the striking ASTI teachers may have run into trouble already.

Non-striking teachers, who are members of the TUI, look set to clash with the Education Minister Michael Woods over the issue.

The TUI members are understood to be strongly opposed to the use of third level graduates to mark the exams.

The TUI said it was hard to see how the exams could be run without the striking ASTI teachers.

Yesterday the ASTI rejected proposals to re-enter discussions upon payment of monies docked from striking teachers before Christmas.

The teachers are demanding the payment without preconditions before they will enter into any talks aimed at ending their strike.

The dispute is in support of a 30% pay claim.