"I have been vilified and abused, but at this stage I am virtually immune toit," says the ASTI president, PJ Sheehy. His moderate stance is expected todraw fresh criticism from hard-liners at this week's ASTI conference. But he is unfazed. "I did what was best for teachers and for the union, in thecircumstances," he tells The Irish Times.

This time last year, there were roars of approval from what are called the ASTI "hard-line" faction when PJ Sheehy was elected president.

Sheehy was their man, the kind of guy who would take on moderate general secretary Charlie Lennon and complete the radicalisation of the union.

It has not quite worked out that way. As president, Sheehy facilitated a process in which ASTI dug itself out of the trenches. Union members backed the benchmarking deal and the €38 per hour supervision offer with huge majorities. After three years of attrition, peace is about to break out in our classrooms.

For his sins, Sheehy is described as a "traitor" and a "turncoat" by his detractors in the union, a charge he vehemently denies. Some members of the union's executive are not on speaking terms with him.

Last December, the union executive voted him off a committee which advises the Minister for Education on curriculum and assessment issues - even though his work in this area was widely applauded.

It is hard to fathom how such a mild-mannered and polite figure could be the subject of such hostility. One year on, Sheehy is trying to work it out for himself.

PJ Sheehy uses a great many words to describe his one-year term as ASTI president. It was "exhilirating", " a learning experience" and a "rollercoaster". He never mentions words like "fun" or "enjoyment". You sense that he has been toughened by his experience; that he will, from now on, be more sceptical and less accepting.

PJ Sheehy has been an ASTI member for 30 years. Originally from Kerry, he has been, during all of this time, an English and history teacher in Arklow.

He took on the one-year honorary role of president last August, just as the benchmarking report was published. The report recommended a 13.5 per cent increase for teachers.

By this time, the ASTI had been pursuing its 30 per cent pay claim to no avail for the best part of three years. "Regardless of our misgivings about benchmarking, we had to face the new realities. Benchmarking was going ahead. The economic situation had changed. The Government had been re-elected. Any union president would have had to reassess the campaign in the light of these events. I did what was best for teachers and for the union, in the circumstances.

"We as a union had tried every avenue to advance the 30 per cent claim. We had closed schools, threatened the exams, withdrawn from supervision... but we had not achieved the demand. We had to look at new strategies and new plans."

From his first day in the ASTI offices, Sheehy says he was determined to represent every teacher and all 17,000 members and not any clique or group.

Does he feel wounded because of the criticism he has attracted from hard-liners?

"I have been vilified and abused, but, at this stage, I am almost immune to it. The union had to change tack because of changing circumstances. There was no question of betrayal by me or anyone else. When circumstances change, the ASTI could not afford to be fixated on one point of view. We had to see the big picture. If people decide they will not talk to me or whatever that is their problem."

As president, he has opened the way for a ballot on both benchmarking and supervision. A huge majority of ASTI members backed what was on offer.

These results have made him in no sense "triumphalist", he says. "I facilitated a process which allowed the members to speak their mind. That surely is part of my job as president."

Sheehy openly admits that many of his views have changed dramatically since he took office. "When I came into office, I could understand how someone like Charlie Lennon (ASTI general secretary) could have been sceptical about me. But my priority was to establish a good working relationship with all head-office staff, which I hope I have done. When you are working with someone over a long and intense period like the past year, you begin to appreciate their strengths."

PJ Sheehy says he expects a lively but less contentious conference than in recent years. The ASTI should now be looking forward and not revisiting old scores, he says.

"Hindsight may well show that we might have done things differently, but at least we highlighted how teachers are underpaid, undervalued and underappreciated by the wider society. We also managed to broaden the range of people involved in the education debate. We must now work to build on this. We must stress the positive. We must tell people how teachers are working harder than ever in a very challenging environment where discipline and respect for authority has often broken down."