Still time to call off teachers’ strike, says Jan O’Sullivan

Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan has insisted there is still time to call off tomorrow’s planned teachers’ strike which will see 720 schools closed across the country.

Ms O’Sullivan said her door remains open, but admitted as of yet there is no indication from unions of any intention to cancel the one day action over planned reform of the Junior Cert.

About 350,000 second-level students are set to stay at home tomorrow with another day of action planned for January.

“I would still invite the unions to engage with me. I made a significant offer in terms of moving 60 per cent of the final exam being state certification as opposed to school certification. Really, I believe the ball is in the court of the unions now and I believe they should come back to the table,” Ms O’Sullivan said during an event in Limerick.

“There is still a day and certainly if there is any approach from the unions I would be happy to respond to them,” she said.

Unions have said they are resolute and united in their opposition to plans for Junior Cycle reform.

They are upset by plans for pupils to be assessed by their own teachers for 40 per cent of their work instead of an external examiner.

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe said the strike will create "great disruption" for students, parents and school communities in the short-term and have "significant" long-term consequences .

“If the strikes were to go ahead tomorrow everybody would lose,” he said.

Speaking this morning at a Tourism Ireland event in Dublin, Mr Donohoe said the reform of the junior cycle needed the “support, involvement and leadership” of the teaching community, rather than a strike.

“The consequences if it were to go ahead would be in the short term great disruption to students, parents and school communities. In the longer term the effect would also be very significant,” he said.