THE GENERAL secretary of the INTO, John Carr, has signalled his intention to retire.
Mr Carr will leave his post in August 2010. He was first elected to the position in 2001. He made known his decision known at a weekend meeting of the union's executive.
Mr Carr succeeded Senator Joe O'Toole as head of the INTO. Under Mr Carr's leadership, the union has highlighted issues such as special needs provision and dilapidated school buildings. Its campaign on class sizes attracted more than 18,000 people to public meetings.
A native of Downings, Co Donegal, Mr Carr is the current Donegal person of the year.
A life-long union activist, he attended St Patrick's College of Education in Drumcondra and holds a master's degree in education from the Open University.
During his teaching career he was a teacher and principal in Belgrove Junior Boys School in Clontarf, Dublin.
Mr Carr's successor as INTO general secretary will be elected by the union's 30,000 members in the new year.
The result of this election will be announced at the end of INTO congress 2009.
Mr Carr is a member of the executive council of the ICTU.
