Education cutbacks will cost up to 1,000 jobs, say teachers' union

The Association of Secondary Teachers (ASTI) says between 800 and 1,000 second-level teachers will lose their jobs as a result of the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio.

The union says research it carried out in March found that schools will have 2.6 fewer teachers on average this September.

The 20 schools surveyed said they would lose between one and five temporary and part-time teachers as a result of the education cutbacks.

The ASTI says this is a direct outcome of the pupil-teacher ratio increasing from 18:1 to 19:1.