Almost a third of teachers affected by 'income poverty'

The Teachers Union of Ireland says there is a professional crisis hitting the sector.

Delegates from across the country are gathering this morning for their annual congress in Wexford.

The trade union says 30% of its members are affected by "income poverty", with that figure rising to 50% for the under-30s.

President of the TUI Gerry Quinn said: "We have a crisis in the profession. We have income poverty, particularly for younger teachers and lecturers, and we have the emerging problem of the bureaucratisation of the teaching profession.

"30% of teachers are employed on a part-time basis, and some of them struggle to survive in teaching."