ASTI meets Govt officials over latest setback

The Association of Secondary Teachers is due to meet officials from the Department of Education today to discuss the latest dispute between the two sides over supervision and substitution duties.

Both parties had reached a deal on the issue earlier this year, but the ASTI has accused the Government of introducing a new interpretation of the deal which would make extra demands on its members.

Under the original deal, teachers had agreed to make themselves available for 37 hours of supervision and substitution each year for a payment of €1,400.

The current row centres on whether or not they will be paid to be on call for these duties.

Fine Gael's Olwyn Enright urged Education Minister Noel Dempsey to clarify whether or not this is the case.