Some teachers do not deserve any pay increase because they are not up to "the required standards of work and expertise", a leading parents' representative has said.
Mr Michael O'Regan, president of the National Parents' Association for Vocational Schools and Community Colleges, said the majority of teachers were "obviously professional and dedicated to their jobs", but there was a minority who "failed to meet the standards".
"There is a minority of teachers who don't come up to the required standards of work and expertise. They do not deserve £40,000 a year. Indeed they shouldn't be in classrooms at all," he told the association's annual congress in Rosslare, Co Wexford, on Saturday.
The association represents parents in the 250 vocational schools and community colleges around the State and is one of the largest constituent bodies within the national organisation for parents, the National Parents' Council (Post Primary).
Mr O'Regan said the association was demanding that teachers accepted the principles of transparency and accountability. It was worried about the scarcity of teachers for subjects such as science, Irish, metalwork and woodwork.
"If we want quality teachers we must obviously pay them. As the old saying goes `pay peanuts and you'll get monkeys'," he said.
However, he also said parents wanted accountability, adding that poor teachers should not get pay increases.
Referring to the ASTI dispute, he said the union's members felt let down by parents.
"I firmly believe they have no genuine reason to feel let down at all. We have many interests in common. Let us, together with the other partners in education, push them to ending this dispute." This was because the dispute was "far from settled".
"Many here today are worried about the plight of our present fifth years. Added to the loss of valuable class time this year, they are faced with a total disruption of classes next autumn. That is so patently unjust that it must not be allowed to happen.
"If it does happen, I must warn both sides now that parent anger at both Minister Woods and the ASTI will not be containable."
Mr O'Regan said his association had refused to take sides in dispute. He said Dr Woods and the ASTI were "equally guilty of intransigence", but parents were being criticised by teachers despite this.
"Over the past couple of weeks I have heard teachers express disappointment at both local and national level at the lack of support from parents for their actions. But I ask you, delegates, could anyone be surprised at the total disapproval of activities which were damaging the welfare of our children?"
He said parents were the "undisputed primary educators of our children" and by law were bona-fide education partners. "Surely partnership must include dialogue and communication between the partners. Should they not take account of each other's policies and concerns?" he asked.
"If the current industrial dispute has highlighted anything, it has clearly shown how little attention is paid to the view of parents - or to the welfare of our children. We want genuine partnership - not just lip-service to the concept," he said.