Classroom central: Largest teachers’ union votes overwhelmingly to accept public sector pay deal

Welcome to the latest edition of the Classroom Central digest. In this edition, Irish Times writers and contributors look at the latest news relating to the public sector pay deal, we examine the issue of how schools will pay for rising energy bills, we also delve into this week’s budget and look at how the education sector fared.

Largest teachers’ union votes overwhelmingly to accept public sector pay deal: The country’s biggest teachers’ union has voted by a large majority in favour of the new public sector pay deal.

Fee-charging schools will have ‘no automatic right’ to energy bill funds: Primary and secondary schools will receive a once-off €90 million fund — or a 40 per cent increase in school capitation — to meet the rising cost of energy bills.

Budget sees slew of measures to ease education costs - but long-term funding issues remain: The bulk of announcements in tis year’s education budget share one key aim: easing the costs facing families and schools in the teeth of a cost-of-living crisis.

‘I’m alone pretty much all the time. The older I become, the less hopeful I am this will change’

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Brazilian Deliveroo rider who intervened in Parnell Square attack: ‘I had time to think about what my purpose in life is’

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The least famous best player the NBA has ever had: ‘I really wish nobody knows me’

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Look inside: Regency villa near Monkstown seafront for €3.75m

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Free primary schoolbooks and one-off €1,000 cut in third level contribution fee announced: Class sizes at primary set to fall to lowest on record as schools get €100 million package to deal with energy costs.

Plan to provide free books to primary school children likely to impact smaller bookshops: Irish booksellers plan to seek further details from the Department of Education over its plans to provide free textbooks to primary pupils directly through their schools.

Cead tugtha do chainéal nua Cúla4: Tá cead tugtha ag an Aire Catherine Martin do chainéal nua do dhaoine óga. Tá sé i gceist go gcraolfar Cúla4 ar Saorview óna 6am go dtí 8in agus beidh cláir nua siamsaíochta mar chuid den ábhar a chraolfar ar an gcainéal.

Cold classrooms, extra layers and lights off: how schools are preparing for the energy crisis: When Linda Dennehy arranged for her school’s oil tank to be refilled recently, she got a shock. “The most recent fill was €2,500, but we were being quoted twice that. So, we filled it halfway.

Primary school teachers’ union recommends acceptance of public sector pay offer: The Central Executive Committee of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has recommended acceptance of the public sector pay deal.