Vacant posts a major concern as teachers prepare for union conferences

With covid concerns now largely in the rear-view mirror, teachers' union conferences are set to discuss more traditional concerns such as class sizes, pay, vacancies, and lack of substitute cover.

Delegates at the 2019 TUI conference in Killarney. The TUI also represents teaching staff in further education and training colleges and centres and technological universities and institutes of technology. Picture: Don MacMonagle

"Curriculum overload", investment in special education, as well as pay and conditions are all set to be discussed this week as thousands of teachers meet for their annual union conferences. 

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) are holding their annual Easter congresses, with Fórsa’s education division also set to meet on Thursday and Friday.