Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Teachers' Group

About

We are a group of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual teachers within the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, which was formed and fully endorsed by the union in November 2004. This was an important historical statement and acknowledgment by the INTO of the need for such a group.

At that time some general purposes and goals were set for the group:

The Group in Action

• Meets 6/7 times a year.
• Comprises of Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer and Steering Committee of three additional members.
• Provides a forum for discussion.
• Works on and continually revises goals.
• Invites guest speakers to address the group.

 Committee Members

• Chairperson: Cathal O'Riada
• Vice Chairperson: Loretta Dunphy
• Treasurer: Leo Kilroy
• Secretary: Anna Marie Lillis
• Minutes Secretary: Eilis Murphy
• Social Secretary: Miriam Hurley
• Public Relations: Cathal O'Riada, Leo Kilroy, Sheila Crowley, Breeda Lyne
• Other commitee members: John Cryan, Bryan Lucey, Dion O'Caoimh and Diarmuid Fitzgerald

Current Goals

• To promote and expand the group and to continue to provide support for all members.
• To work with the INTO equality officers and the Equality Authority in tackling Section 37 (i) of the Employment Equality Act 1998, 2004.
• To form links with teachers from other unions (ASTI and TUI), student and retired teachers.
• To endorse and support the work of BeLonGTo (BeLonGTo Youth Project, supporting and resourcing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people aged 18-23).
• To liaise with GLEN and other professional groups around common goals.
• To make submissions regarding heterosexist bias in curricula (especially RSE and SPHE).

Membership

• The INTO has a national membership of 35,753.
• Membership of the INTO LGB Teachers' group is open to all current and retired members of the INTO and to student teachers who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual.  
• Conservative figures estimate that 10% of the population is lesbian, gay or bisexual.
• Current membership of the INTO LGB Teachers' Group is 49. We believe that this figure falls far short of the actual number of LGB teachers teaching in classrooms all over the country.

Contact

The Secretary of the group can be contacted by email at lgbt@into.ie and text or voice message at 087 6952839.
Also see InTouch (the monthly magazine for teachers) for regular updates and information on the group's activities.

Confidentiality assured.