March 2009

Teachers to strike (Star)
14th March 2009
Primary and secondary school teachers are to hold a one-day strike to protest against the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Teachers to join one-day work stoppage (Irish Times)
14th March 2009
Thousands of schools to close on March 30th as ICTU plans action over pension levy...

Strikes erode trust (Irish Daily Mail)
14th March 2009
Primary school teachers have resolved to strike...

Strike will shut primary schools (Irish Daily Mail)
14th March 2009
The nation's 3,200 primary schools are set to close amid a one-day strike by teachers. The strike planned for March 30, the last Monday of the month, would affect more than 480,000 children...

Plans for strike action put exams in danger (Irish Independent)
14th March 2009
Leaving and Junior Certificate exams are facing massive disruption because of threatened union stoppages over the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Exams at risk over teacher strikes (Evening Herald)
14th March 2009
STUDENTS across the country could face disruption in their oral exams because of threat. ened union stoppages over the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Schools will lose teachers and funding under education cuts (Limerick Leader)
14th March 2009
Primary schools in Shannon are to lose out on extra teachers and almost EUR50,000 in funding from the Department of Education thanks to cutbacks announced in the Budget...

Taking on the teachers now sounds like a fool's errand (Limerick Leader)
14th March 2009
Don't Mind Me, Patricia Feehily
Anything for a quiet life! Which might explain why I'm always very slow to take on any powerful interest group, especially the teachers...

Teachers are ready for strike (Irish Sun)
14th March 2009
Primary school teachers have voted to strike against the Government's pension levy...

Schools’ scheme to promote bog heritage (Liffey Champion)
14th March 2009
Environmental Education Officer with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, Nuala Madigan has recently been accepted as a Heritage and School Specialist...

The INTO has confirmed that it will take part in the public sector workers' strike on the 30th of March (The Last Word Today FM)
13th March 2009 
The INTO has confirmed that it will take part in the public sector workers’ strike on the 30th of March. Interview with John Carr (INTO).

INTO members vote to strike on March 30th (Six News Q102)
13th March 2009 
INTO members vote to strike on March 30th.

Teachers to stage one day strike (RTE News)
13th March 2009
The three main teaching unions have voted to join other unions and take strike action on 30 March, closing thousands of schools...

The INTO is meeting this afternoon to finalise details of their planned industrial action (One News Dublin's 98) 
13th March 2009 
The INTO is meeting this afternoon to finalise details of their planned industrial action.  

Four-out-of-five primary teachers in Kilkenny vote for industrial action (Kilkenny People)
13th March 2009 
Four-out-of-five Kilkenny primary teachers have voted in favour of industrial action...

Union fearful over Government cuts in teaching resources (Clare Champion)
13th March 2009 
One of the country's main teaching unions this week warned that bureaucratic requirements relating to non-teaching duties could be axed when Government cuts come into effect in September...

Town Council to host INTO reception (Tirconaill Tribune)
13th March 2009 
Letterkenny Town Council is to host a welcoming reception for ' the Irish National Teachers Organisation's executive committee when the Association's, annual conference comes to the town for the first time ever at Easter...

Pupils taught in 1830’s school building (Irish Examiner)
12th March 2009
The Department of Education is under fire for failing to replace a pre-Famine school building in Ennis where more than 500 students are taught...

60,000 teachers to take industrial action over cuts (Offaly Topic)
12th March 2009 
THE members of teacher unions the ASTI, INTO and TUI including members in Offaly have voted to take industrial action, up to and including strike action, over the government's handling of the economic crisis...

Nuala Madigan appointed Heritage and School Specialist (Offaly Topic)
12th March 2009 
Nuala Madigan Environmental Education Officer with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council has recently been accepted as a Heritage and School Specialist...

Quotes of the Week (Donegal Democrat)
12th March 2009 
"Teachers, like other public sector workers, have said they are willing to play their part in a programme for economic recovery. However, they are not prepared to be scapegoated while those with means and money are allowed to escape." John Carr, General Secretary of the INTO, who gave details of the ballot in which four out of five primary teachers throughout the county voted in support of strike action.

Coping with the crisis in public finances - Letters to the Editor (Irish Times)
11th March 2009
Madam, – Average Citizen borrows money from the bank to buy a home. Average Citizen can’t pay back the loan. Outcome: Average Citizen loses home.
Wealthy Citizen borrows money to invest in housing developments. Wealthy Citizen doesn’t pay back loan. Outcome; Average Citizen pays it back on his behalf.
Equitable? Fair distribution of pain? – Yours, etc,
Fiona Poole, Former President, INTO

2,200 jobs to go in 2009 say teachers (Evening Echo)
11th March 2009
Teachers have accused the Government of attempting to divide public and private sector workers and of targeting them unfairly in dealing with the economic crisis...

Denying children their full potential (The Kerryman)
11th March 2009 
A Eagarthoir, in 1967 I commenced teaching with a class of 45 in a pre-fab that sweltered in summer and became all misted- up in winter. In the intervening years the INTO and parents fought long and sometimes difficult battles to achieve educational structures that would maximise learning opportunities for children, particularly for those with greatest need...

Local teachers not enthusiastic about prospect of strike action (Waterford Today)
11th March 2009
Differing views have emerged from local councillors and candidates, who also happen to be teachers, over the decision by members of three teaching unions to take industrial action...

Prime Time (RTE One)
10th March 2009
Paul Murphy reports from Portlaoise on the use of prefab classrooms in schools.

Schools to be offered grants to help lower bills (Irish Examiner)
10th March 2009
Schools are to be offered grants to help reduce their spiralling water and energy bills, including funding for insulation similar to that recently announced for homeowners...

Shannon schools hit by EUR46,000 in cuts (Clare People)
10th March 2009 
Primary schools in Shannon will be adversely affected by EUR46,000 due to cuts in education, according to teachers in the area...

Loss of teacher posts will damage economy (The Kingdom)
10th March 2009
THE loss of 15 primary school teachers in Kerry will have serious consequences for the future of the county in the county as well as impacting on the education of children, Kerry TD Martin Ferris has insisted...

Teachers to take action over Irish levy (IPE International Publishers Limited)
IPE.com 9th March 2009 16:10:
Ireland – Members of three teachers unions have voted in favour of industrial action, including strikes, over the government's handling of the economic crisis including the introduction of the "pension levy"...

Lower paid civil servants set to protest today over pension levy (Irish Times)
9th March 2009
Several thousand lower paid civil servants are expected to stage protests today against the introduction of the controversial pension levy for staff in the public service...

Cutting class size will not benefit students – Report (Irish Times)
9th March 2009
Cutting Class Size in schools will not deliver better results for students, according to a major advisory report to Government on education and training...

Teacher unions meet to decide on strike plan (Irish Independent)
9th March 2009
Teaching unions will this week advance plans for industrial action over the Government's handling of the economic crisis. Teachers across the country have voted by up to 79pc in favour of action, up to and including strike action...

Teachers unions claim talks can avert strikes (Irish Examiner)
9th March 2009
Strike action by more than 60,000 teachers can be avoided if the Government restarts talks with the union movement, their leaders said at the weekend...

Teachers boast of massive backing for strike (Irish Daily Mail)
9th March 2009
Nine in ten Dublin teachers support a strike, according to a breakdown of voting figures released by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation...

More than 87% of primary teachers in Kerry have backed a call for industrial action (Kerry Today, Radio Kerry – 9am)
9th March 2009
Interview with Ger Doyle (INTO).

Four out of five primary teachers have voted for industrial action (Morning Focus, Clare FM – 9am)
9th March 2009
Interview with Declan Kelleher (President, INTO) who discusses the ballot result.

80% of Laois teachers are backing strike proposals by the INTO (News, Midlands 103)
9th March 2009
80 per cent of Laois teachers are backing strike proposals by the INTO. However members in Offaly and Westmeath are less supportive of the motion, with only 54 per cent giving their backing in both counties. Midland teachers cast their votes at meetings held around the country over the past fortnight. The INTO Executive is expected to discuss this week what form of industrial action will be taken.

Possibility of industrial action by INTO (Midlands Today - Midlands Radio 103)
9th March 2009 : 9.30am
Helen O Gorman (Midlands Representative, INTO) discusses the possibility of industrial action by INTO over education cuts. (10.47am)

Closure of special needs class (News at One, RTE Radio 1)
9th March 2009
Caitríona Perry speaks to students at St Helen's Senior National School in Portmarnock about closing the special needs class.

INTO vote on industrial action (On the Record, KCLR - 10.22am)
9th March 2009
Joe McKeown (INTO) discusses his organisation’s eighty-one per cent vote in favour of industrial action to protest against education cuts, including strike action.

Teachers vote in favour of strike (Sunday World)
8th March 2009
More than 60,000 teachers have voted for industrial action in response to the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Teachers Strike Bid (News of the World)
8th March 2009
Teachers across the country could picket within weeks after they voted for industrial action yesterday...

Teachers will not go on strike ahead of ICTU’s ‘day of action’ (Sunday Tribune)
8th March 2009
No strike action will be taken by the country's 60,000 teachers before Ictu's day of action on 30 March, union sources have confirmed...

Teachers vote for industrial action (Sunday Independent)
8th March 2009
Teachers have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

60,000 teachers vote for strike (Irish Mail on Sunday)
8th March 2009
Teachers have voted to take industrial action over the recent cutbacks in education and the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Men go back to primary school (Sunday Times Supplements)
8th March 2009
Pleas for more first-level male teachers are getting through. Male primary teachers may seem like an endangered species, but efforts to attract more men to the profession appear to be bearing some fruit, new figures suggest....

Teachers' unions vote to go on strike (Evening Herald)
7th March 2009
Around 60,000 teachers who are members of three teaching unions have voted to take industrial action over the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Teachers vote for industrial action (Irish Times)
7th March 2009
Teachers have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Teachers vote in favour of work stoppage (Irish Independent)
7th March 2009
Schools may close on Monday, March 30, after teachers voted to support proposed national stoppages over the Government's handling of the economic crisis....

Industrial action likely as teachers show anger (Irish Examiner)
7th March 2009
More than 60,000 teachers are set to take industrial action in the coming weeks after ballots of their three unions all resulted in backing of the move in protest at the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Teachers to go on strike (Star)
7th March 2009
Around 60,000 teachers in three unions last night voted to take industrial action over the Government's handling of the economic crisis....

60,000 vote for teachers’ strike over conditions (Irish Daily Mail)
7th March 2009
SOME 60,000 teachers last night voted to take Industrial action in protest at the Government's handling of the economic crisis...

Teachers have voted for industrial action (Nine News, RTE 1)
7th March 2009
Conor Mark Kavanagh reports that teachers have voted for industrial action, including strike action over the government's handling of the economic crisis. Includes interview with INTO President Declan Kelleher...

Teachers have voted for industrial action (Six One News, RTE 1)
7th March 2009
Conor Mark Kavanagh reports that teachers have voted for industrial action, including strike action over the government's handling of the economic crisis. Includes interview with INTO President Declan Kelleher...

Teachers vote to take industrial action (News, Newstalk – 7.18am)
7th March 2009
The Government's waking up with another headache this morning with news that 60 thousand teachers have voted to take action over it's handling of the economic crisis. Members from the three main unions, the ASTI, the INTO and the TUI said their action may include an all out strike...

Teachers may have no other choice but to strike - Carr (News, Ocean FM)
7th March 2009
Teachers have voted in favour of industrial action over what they say is the Government’s disproportionate handling of the economic crisis. The ASTI, TUI and INTO’s combined membership of around 60 thousand teachers voted by a significant margin for action up to and including an all out strike at the end of the month. Donegal native John Carr says they’re aware of the disruption it would cause - but  they may have no other choice.

A vote in favour of industrial action could result in an all out strike (News, Highland Radio)
7th March 2009
The Donegal representative for teachers union the INTO says a vote in favour of industrial action last night by members could result in an all out strike. The ASTI, TUI and INTO's combined membership of around 60-thousand teachers have voted by a significant margin for action. INTO Donegal Rep Gerard McGeehan says the Government must consult with unions on an economic recovery plan.

Teachers’ Strike Vote (Irish Sun)
7th March 2009
Over 60,000 teachers’ voted to go on strike last night because of the Government’s handling of the recession...

Limerick to lose teachers (Limerick Post)
7th March 2009
FIFTEEN Limerick national schools are to lose 17 teachers inside the next year, with a total of 200 teachers lost nationwide....

Haughey says Government will engage with teachers (Belfast Telegraph)
7 March 2009
Junior Education Minister Sean Haughey s expressing has expressed disappointment at strike threats by Ireland's three main teaching unions.

The members of three teachers unions, the ASTI, INTO and TUI have voted to take industrial action over the Government's handling of the economic situation (Nine News, RTE 1)
6th March 2009
In a joint statement, the three unions said the decision to take action, up to and including strike action, had been a difficult one for teachers....

Bosses and unions get glimpse of recession’s full depth (Herald AM)
6th March 2009
Department of Finance officials have briefed employer and union representatives on the state of the economy at separate meetings....

State seeks to resume social partnership talks (Irish Examiner)
6th March 2009
Trade union and IBEC sources believe that social partnership talks could get under way again as soon as next week as the Government seeks wider approval and input into the April budget...

Employers & unions briefed on economy (RTE News)
5th March 2009
Department of Finance officials are briefing employer and union representatives on the state of the economy at separate meetings. However, Government sources stressed that the meetings were information briefings only...

Eight local primary schools to lose teachers (Athlone Topic)
5th March 2009
Eight primary schools in the Shannonside region are being hit with the loss of a teacher as a result of the new pupil teacher ratio announcend in as part of the budgetry cuts....

Nuacht a hAon (Radio na Gaeltachta)
4th March 2009
John Carr interviewed about economic crisis...

Class size increase means five primary schools to lose teachers (Argus)
4th March 2009
Five local primary schools are set to lose mainstream teachers due to the increase in class sizes set out in the budget...

Special needs move breaches UN rule - INTO (Irish Times)
3rd March 2009
THE ROW over the closure of 128 special classes intensified yesterday as the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) claimed the move breaches the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which Ireland is a signatory...

Schools, pupils and teachers feel the pain as special-needs classes are cut back (Irish Times)
3rd March 2009
Some 128 schools are set to lose special-needs classes for children with mild general learning disabilities...

Minister Batt O'Keeffe digs in on needs controversy (Irish Times)
3rd March 2009
TEACHER’S PET: It is the question dominating discussion in education circles. Why did Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe impose those cold-hearted changes in special needs for the sake of a measly €7 million?...

Meeting special needs? Five families tell their story (Irish Times)
3rd March 2009
RÓISÍN WOODS AND JESSICA (7): Róisín Woods's seven year-old daughter Jessica started attending the special needs class on a full-time basis in September. "Jessica started off with 32 in her class. What chance did she have?...

Over €50m was spent on renting school prefabs last year - O'Keeffe (Irish Times)
3rd March 2009
MORE THAN €50 million was spent by the Government on renting temporary prefabricated buildings for schools last year, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe has said...

Two Athlone primary schools to lose teachers (Athlone Voice)
3rd March 2009
Two primary schools in Athlone are set to lose a mainstream teacher due to the Government cutbacks...

Schools to suffer from teacher losses (Roscommon Herald)
3rd March 2009
PRIMARY SCHOOLS throughout the country, and in County Roscommon, will suffer if projected teacher losses are realised this September...

Psychiatrists assigned to help teachers with stress (Irish News)
2nd March 2009
Dozens of teachers and principals are being sent to psychiatrists because they are missing too many school days. Employers are spending tens of thousands of pounds in trying to understand why some staff are suffering stress-related illnesses...

Education Cuts Limerick Today Live 95FM
2nd March 2009
Seamus Long (INTO) discusses the loss of teaching posts with education cuts (10.14am).

Sligo teachers vote on industrial action (Ocean FM)
2nd March 2009
National teachers in Sligo could take to the streets in industrial action over the controversial pension levy...