Minister for Education expresses concern over teachers' strike action

Secondary school teachers, who are objecting to the reformed junior cycle, were due to protest outside schools around the country during lunch breaks today in a move which has caused concern for Minister for Education, Jan O' Sullivan.

Organised by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), members were expected to highlight their objections to the change in student assessment.

Commenting on the protests, Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan, suggested that the matter would be better suited to a negotiating table than a public protest, but future meetings with the unions had yet to be scheduled.

Asserting that the proposed changes are needed, the minister goes on to say: “Across the community there’s a total understanding that the junior cycle needs to be reformed.” 

Having spoken out on the matter earlier today, a spokeswoman for the ASTI estimated that approximately 27,000 people were expected to take part in the protests.

Expressing concern that further protests may disrupt students as exam time approaches, Jan O’ Sullivan asserts that another strike would be ‘completely disproportionate’.