Foley acknowledges new vaccine schedule is 'cause of upset' but defends decision after teacher unions vote for industrial action ballot
Last week, the Government announced it was changing the programme to an age-based system, once the most medically vulnerable and over 70s were inoculated. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Irelan
Minister for Education Norma Foley has acknowledged the change in vaccination priority schedule has been "cause of upset and disappointment for many in the education sector and also in other sectors".
Minister Foley made the comments in her address to the TUI congress this morning however, she maintained that this change in priority was based on the latest scientific evidence.
“When the [National Immunisation Advisory Committee] made their initial recommendations in December 2020 regarding the vaccination programme and its priority schedule, it was considered that a person’s occupation was a significant factor in determining their risk level in terms of Covid-19,” she said.
“New national and international evidence, however, now confirms that age is the single ‘strongest predictor’ of whether a person who contracts Covid-19 will be admitted to hospital or ICU or die as a result of their infection.” Ms Foley added that the programme has never been about valuing one group or profession over another, and the “guiding force” has been to protect the most vulnerable.
In response to Ms Foley’s address, union president Martin Marjoram said the unexpected change in the schedule felt like has negatively affected the trust and confidence between the union and the department.
“The balance of confidence on which all Covid matters hinge has suffered hugely. We never sought to advance ourselves before other groups in terms of vaccination, and we fully support those most vulnerable to serious illness should clearly be prioritised as well as those working in health,” he said.
“There was ample room for you politically to adopt a parallel approach: primarily age-based but upholding what had already been indicated to staff essential to education. We urge you, Minister, in the strongest terms to reconsider.”
The Education Minister gave her address after the Association of Secondary Teachers’ Ireland (ASTI) had joined the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) in voting in favour of a motion backing industrial action, up to and including strike action, if the government refuses to U-turn on the issue of teacher vaccinations before the end of the school year.
It follows the Government’s decision last week to introduce an age-based system for vaccinating the population instead of one that prioritises frontline professions, including teachers.
The motion was carried by ASTI delegates, with 281 teachers voting in favour, 70 voting against and 15 abstaining.
The motion was proposed by ASTI Vice President-elect, Eamon Dennehy, who said the decision to deprioritise teaches came as a "shock."
"We have been told that our schools are safe and that teachers as a profession are not at greater risk for Covid-19 than any other group of workers and should not be prioritized for vaccination."
“This view is not shared by the WHO UNICEF, UNESCO, or Education International, who all call for the prioritizing of teachers."
Mr Dennehy said this motion has seen all three teacher unions working closely together in pursuit of a common goal: "This can only be a good development."
Deirdre MacDonald, immediate past president of the ASTI who seconded the motion, was adamant that teachers "are not seeking to jump the queue.”
“The frontline health workers, the aged, the people with infirmities absolutely must take their place, and have done to this date, but from this point on what we are seeking is, in conjunction with the other teacher unions today, is that we have a parallel process which is occupationally based.
“The fact that we are on the frontline means we are more likely to be contaminated," she said.
One teacher who spoke in favour of the motion, Eugene Grace, contracted Covid-19 in October of last year in his workplace, St. Joseph’s CBS in Nenagh.
“Up until last October, I was a very fit and healthy young man with no health issues,” he said.
“Over the last six months, I've been in three different ambulances including where my deputy principal had to call the ambulance. Countless doctor's visits and in hospital twice."
"Yesterday, I tried to go for a walk. After three minutes, I couldn't breathe.” “[Covid-19] has turned my life upside down.
“I dare any member of the public or the cabinet, or NPHET or NIAC, to go into a school, follow a secondary teacher around for one day. I teach 165 teenagers every single day.
“There are around 37,000 secondary school teachers, practicing in Ireland, if you're talking about vaccinating a quarter of a million a week, how long would it take to vaccinate secondary school teachers?”
While the motion was broadly supported by delegates, there were some issues raisd with the motion during the debate.
Ruth Coppinger, a former Irish Solidarity–People Before Profit politician and teacher, said while she said she was not against the “the spirit” of the motion, it should be made clear that all essential workers, including childcare workers, transport workers and retail workers, should be prioritised for vaccinations too.
“I agree with the motion but I do think it’s important that we say that because there’s an attempt being made to divide workers, to pit other workers against teachers.
"We’ve all seen this online, we’ve all been victims of it.” She also raised issues with the timing of the motion.
Previously, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) separately backed the shared motion which allows the unions to strike if they are not re-prioritised in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Emergency motion on vaccine priority has been carried at the #INTOCongress2021
— Jess Casey (@Jessjcasey) April 7, 2021
The joint statement will be issued before midday, once all three unions have debated and voted.
The TUI motion stated that congress “condemns” the recent changes to the priority listing for teachers within the national vaccination programme, which were announced by Government “without consultation with workers’ representatives”.
The congress has demanded that the Government re-instates education staff as a priority group within the national vaccination programme before the end of the school year.
The motion highlighted the importance of the prioritisation of teachers due to the “essential nature of their work which requires them to be in daily contact with a large number of persons from a large number of households” and considering that social distancing is “problematic” and not assured give the structure and layout of workplaces.
“Congress further demands early vaccination within the overall cohort of education staff, for pregnant teachers, those in higher risk categories and those who work in special schools, special classes and home school community liaison teachers,” the motion states.
“In the event that Government does not agree to schedule by the end of the current school year, vaccinations on the basis demanded above, Congress instructs the Executive Committee to ballot members for industrial action, up to and including strike action.”
The motion was carried, with 163 teachers voting in favour, and 101 voting against.
Union president Martin Marjoram said their “deep concern” is that vital elements of education will be overthrown including the reopening of schools in September, as it is not guaranteed all teachers would be vaccinated by then.
Mr Marjoram said they have never sought to be prioritised before those who are particularly vulnerable to the virus.
Mr Marjoram called on delegates to support the motion to ensure teachers are treated with “proper respect”.
Liz Farrell, vice-president of TUI said they are asking the Government to listen to science, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other experts.
Ms Farrell said teachers are in a “unique group” who work alongside students, who will not be vaccinated.
Supporting this motion does not mean there will be no Leaving Cert, and does not mean they will not return to school after Easter, Ms Farrell said.
Teaching unions and the Government have been on a collision course after Education Minister Norma Foley refused to move teachers back up the vaccine priority schedule.
Norma Foley told the INTO conference on Tuesday that she understands teachers' disappointment about being bumped down the vaccine priority list.
She said the change was driven by new evidence that shows age is the “strongest predictor” of whether a person who contracts Covid-19 will be admitted to hospital or ICU or die.
According to the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), a person between the age of 60 and 64 is 70 times more likely to die as a result of Covid-19 than a person aged between 20 and 34.
“This is the latest medical and scientific evidence available. This is not a value judgement on any given profession. This is simply the science.”
Vaccine priority was raised by union leaders at all three conferences throughout the day yesterday.
"The new group nine on the revised list gives priority to those who work in crowded settings. Surely spending nearly six hours a day in a small room with children from 25 or more families is a crowded setting?" he said.
Ann Piggott, ASTI president, described the change to the vaccine schedule as “a brutal and sudden kick in the teeth” for teachers and other public sector workers.
“Why will someone who is working from home, without meeting anyone be vaccinated ahead of people who are in positions of potential exposure to coronavirus?”
Teachers in the high-risk category who are suffering from cancer, heart failure, and other illnesses, as well as teachers in the 60 to 64 age category, have been told to return to "choc-a-bloc" classrooms from April 12, she added.
“The latest promised easing of restrictions will allow only two people who are vaccinated to meet indoors, but in undersized classrooms, the parallel universe continues: 33 can meet without vaccinations."
“We have never sought to be advanced above those most vulnerable to infection or the most serious consequences thereof, but we must insist that commitments made on such sensitive issues be honoured.”
Meanwhile, funding higher and further education is an issue that has been “ducked and dodged for far too long”, according to Higher Education Minister Simon Harris who addressed the TUI annual conference.
The union represents approximately 4,000 staff members at institutes of technologies and technological universities.
While investment in the sector has increased, it is not where it needs to be.
“We expect the final report on the future funding of the sector in the next few months and I want you to know two things: I don’t intend to be dusting it or seeking a shelf to stick it on," he said.
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