Unions say they are ready for 'war' over pay [Independent.ie]
- Published: 03 April 2010
A NUMBER of public sector unions have indicated that they have the stomach for an industrial relations "war" if the controversial pay deal is not accepted by members.
They were reacting to a warning from a senior Irish Congress of Trade Union (ICTU) official yesterday that a "very high-level war" is the only alternative to giving the deal the green light.
Tom Geraghty, general secretary of the Public Service Executive Union (PSEU), was speaking after his union became the first civil service union to back the deal. Mr Geraghty said the unions could not hope to do any better in negotiations, given the current economic climate.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Secondary schools asking charities to help families [Independent.ie]
- Published: 03 April 2010
SECONDARY schools are turning to St Vincent de Paul for financial assistance to help needy families meet the cost of education.
A new study confirms that parents are finding it increasingly difficult to meet these costs, mainly because of rising unemployment.
Fifteen out of 20 secondary schools that took part in a detailed Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) survey said they had to increase their 'hardship fund' to help needy students.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Northern Ireland parties inch towards an agreed transfer solution [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 03 April 2010
Four of Northern Ireland’s main political parties are on the brink of agreeing a way to solve the long-running school transfer row in the hope of forcing the Executive to discuss it for the first time in nearly two-and-half years.
It is hoped the four-party talks which began in October— following the launch of the Belfast Telegraph’s Sit Down, Sort it Out campaign — will come up with a consensus by the end of this month or the beginning of June.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Union queries claim on SNA posts [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 02 April 2010
A UNION representing special needs assistants (SNA) has questioned Tánaiste Mary Coughlan’s assertion that more than 1,300 posts have been created in schools for children with disabilities.
A report by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) of special need supports shows there are 358 fewer SNAs working in the 2,913 schools it has reviewed to date. Another 237 schools which have an SNA allocation will be reviewed after the Easter holidays.
The special education council’s report shows there are now 8,463 SNAs in the schools already reviewed, down from 8,821 before the exercise began just over a year ago. The figure comprises 5,801 SNAs in primary schools (4.8% fewer than before the review), 1,656 in second level schools (down 3%) and 1,006 in special schools (down 1.2%).
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
‘Cuts have little regard to the children’s needs’ [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 02 April 2010
GRACE Kearney was mixing well with her fellow pupils at her local primary school until her special needs support was cut to one-sixth its previous levels and she had to move schools.
She was born with microcephaly, which means she has a small head and brain, and that she is severely visually impaired and has learning difficulties.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
