Offalys secondary schools likely to close tomorrow

Taoiseach Enda Kenny intervened in the ongoing dispute over the junior cycle by asking teachers to reconsider their planned strike tomorrow.

Speaking in the Dail today, Mr Kenny claimed the only people who would suffer are the pupils.

Secondary schools across Offaly looks set to close on Thursday after talks with teacher’s unions ended inconclusively last week.  

Last week, Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan repeated her call to teacher unions to halt the planned one day strike.  

The Minister was speaking following inconclusive talks with both the ASTI(Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland) and TUI(Teachers Union of Ireland) in relation to the implementation of Junior Cycle reform.

“Unfortunately substantial progress was not achieved... There is a significant gap between both sides and I am still waiting on the teacher unions to respond in kind to the fair and reasonable compromise I tabled in November,” said Minister O’Sullivan.

Following the talks unions issued a statement declaring that a “considerable difference” remained between the Department and the Unions in relation to Junior Cycle reform.  

Dr Pauric Travers, former President of St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra has agreed to liaise with both sides about how further talks can take place and the Minister has indicated that she is willing to continue to engage in these talks.  

She urged the unions to halt the one day strike and said, “this action is entirely disproportionate.  It will result in our second-level students missing another day at school, cause inconvenience to parents across the country and result in teachers losing another day’s pay. There is no basis for this strike action – I have moved significantly to achieve agreement and both sides should seriously engage in negotiation on that basis.  This dispute will not be advanced one iota by continued strike action.”

Minister O’Sullivan maintained Junior Cycle reform is necessary and overdue. “Parents’ organisations, the Irish Second Level Students Union, management bodies and a wide range of education experts are fully supportive of my reform package. Industrial action should cease as I believe that more detailed talks can result in progress,” she said.

Meanwhile, the ASTI and TUI have said  that while they have agreed to engage with further talks, they remain resolute in their opposition to significant elements of the proposals.